Editing Chehalis, Washington (section)

===Flooding===
{{main|Flood history in Chehalis, Washington}}
Due to Chehalis being located near several large rivers and resting in a valley, heavy rains and snowmelt has led the city to experience numerous historic flooding events,<ref>{{cite news |author1=David Kroman |author2=Hal Bernton |title=Residents fight to keep waters at bay in Chehalis area, where threat of floods is a constant |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/weather/residents-fight-to-keep-waters-at-bay-in-chehalis-area-where-threat-of-floods-is-a-constant/ |access-date=May 7, 2024 |work=The Seattle Times |date=January 7, 2022}}</ref> often recorded between November and February.

Historical accounts and spiritual lessons passed down in the history of Native American people living in and around the Chehalis River tell of major floods in the basin.<ref name="FNAL">{{cite news |author1=Julie McDonald |author2=Edna Fund |title=From Native American Legends to 2007: A History of Flooding in the Chehalis River Basin |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/from-native-american-legends-to-2007-a-history-of-flooding-in-the-chehalis-river-basin,21216? |access-date=July 26, 2023 |work=The Chronicle |date=December 6, 2017 |quote=Article a copy from the book "The Flood of 2007: Disaster and Survival on the Chehalis River"}}</ref> The first record of a flood, when the community known as Saundersville was settled, was in 1865.<ref name="IOAC"/>{{rp|45}} The first newspaper accounting of floods mention events in 1887 and 1897 that disrupted sawmill operations and river and railroad traffic.<ref name="FNAL"/> 

The 20th century recorded over two dozen notable flooding events in and around the Chehalis community. The earliest recordings of floods are from 1906, 1909, and 1910, with major floods in 1915 and 1919. Chehalis, which was submerged in a month-long rain event, broke flood records in 1933 and moderate floods followed later in the decade. A 1948 weather pattern, a widespread disaster for the state, led to flooding in Chehalis. Heavy rains in the early-to-mid 1950s bought moderate floodwaters.<ref name="FNAL"/>

The [[Christmas flood of 1964]] led to widespread floodwaters in 1965. A record-setting flood occurred in 1972, submerging the interstate for the first time in the city. The Chehalis River crested twice in January 1974, causing $10 million in losses. A major flood disaster developed in 1986 after {{convert|8|in|cm}} of rainfall over several days that led to the submerging of the fairgrounds and a contamination spill at a closed industrial site near Millett Field. The highway was covered with floodwaters again during a major flood disaster 1990. A [[100-year flood]] occurred in February 1996,<ref name="SFHS">{{cite news |author1=Emily Fitzgerald |author2=Eric Rosane |title=So Far 120 Homes, Structures Reporting Damage Totaling at Least $2 Million From January Flooding |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/so-far-120-homes-structures-reporting-damage-totaling-at-least-2-million-from-january-flooding,283395 |access-date=July 17, 2023 |work=The Chronicle |date=January 26, 2022}}</ref> with the Chehalis and Skookumchuck rivers setting flood stage records. A state of emergency was declared and I-5 was closed for four days.<ref name="FNAL"/><ref name="AABAD">{{cite news |last1=Yardley |first1=William |title=Anger and blame after deadly flood in Northwest |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/03/world/americas/03iht-03flood.9002047.html |access-date=February 26, 2024 |work=The New York Times |date=January 3, 2008}}</ref>

The city in the 21st century has had several floods of various levels including a record flood that closed the interstate in the town in December 2007 due to the [[Great Coastal Gale of 2007]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Floodwaters linger in Washington, Oregon |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna22082408 |access-date=July 17, 2023 |work=NBC News |agency=Associated Press |date=December 3, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Northwest floods likened to Mount St. Helens |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna22128563 |access-date=July 17, 2023 |work=NBC News |agency=Associated Press |date=December 6, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=van Schagen |first1=Sarah |title=Massive flooding in western Washington linked to man-made causes |url=https://grist.org/article/playing-the-blame-game/ |access-date=July 17, 2023 |work=Grist |date=January 10, 2009}}</ref> Another major flood materialized over a year later in January 2009, immersing several regions within Chehalis, and I-5 and railroads were shut down once again.<ref>{{cite news |title=Roads slowly reopen in storm-hit Washington |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna28541070 |access-date=July 17, 2023 |work=NBC News |agency=Associated Press |date=January 7, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Northwest floods close roads, stall commerce |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna28578505 |access-date=July 17, 2023 |work=NBC News |agency=Associated Press |date=January 9, 2009}}</ref> Less severe floods transpired during record daily rainfalls in 2010,<ref>{{cite news |title=Storms bring flood threat to Wash., Ore. rivers |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna40630310 |access-date=July 17, 2023 |work=NBC News |agency=Associated Press |date=December 12, 2010}}</ref> 2012,<ref>{{cite news |author1=NBC News staff and news services |title=Storm slams Pacific Northwest with record rain, wind; at least one dead |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/storm-slams-pacific-northwest-record-rain-wind-least-one-dead-flna1c7165140 |access-date=July 17, 2023 |work=NBC News |date=November 20, 2012}}</ref> and 2015.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Chen |first1=Natasha |title=Water surrounds homes in Southwestern Washington, more rain expected |url=https://www.kiro7.com/news/water-surrounds-homes-southwestern-washington-more/19124769/ |access-date=July 17, 2023 |work=KIRO 7 News |date=December 10, 2015}}</ref> A stretch of I-5 between Chehalis and Centralia was closed for several hours after a major flood in January 2022.<ref name="LCHH">{{cite news |last1=Horne |first1=Deborah |title=Lewis County hard hit by flooding |url=https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/flooding-closes-20-mile-stretch-i-5-lewis-county/VYEBKRY3GZEB7KMTPGFODCTXWE/ |access-date=July 17, 2023 |work=KIRO 7 News |date=January 7, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author1=Antonio Planas |author2=Phil Helsel |title=Flooding in Washington state shuts down interstate, forces evacuations |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/rising-floodwaters-prompt-closing-interstate-closure-evaucations-washi-rcna11413 |access-date=July 17, 2023 |work=NBC News |date=January 7, 2022}}</ref>