Mount Vernon, Wash. — Flooding has plagued Mount Vernon since it was incorporated more than a century ago. Every time the Skagit River spilled over its banks, an army of volunteers was mustered to build a wall of 150,000 sandbags to protect the downtown. Public Works Director Esco Bell said, "That's something that there's a risk of almost every year."
Construction crews are now working on a project that will end the flood threat forever. It's a $27 million river walk, park and floodwall that's high enough to keep the river from overflowing into the city. Mayor Jill Boudreau said, "It will remove our city from the 100-year floodplain and it will effectively protect our city from flood."
Furniture store owner Al Lyon told us once the wall is completed, he won't have to pay $6,300 a year for flood insurance. Lyon said, "To a store like mine, it's huge, it's huge. That money goes right to the bottom line." Lyon won't have to worry about sandbags blocking trucks trying to make deliveries to this store. He said, "It's a horrible distraction." Even more important, without the flood threat, developers are more likely to build in Mount Vernon. Banks are more likely to finance those projects. The area once underwater during floods could be used for offices, retail stores and condos. Al Lyon said, "It's gonna actually revitalize the whole downtown and make everybody feel good."
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