Is The Skagit River Getting Ready To Test Mount Vernon's New Flood Wall?

Two days after Thanksgiving the Skagit River is in flood mode.

In the photo that would be my great nephew, Spencer Jack, and an un-identified girl friend playing in the Skagit River, which is currently flooding Lion's Park at the north end of Mount Vernon's downtown.

I do not know if the Skagit is expected to reach a flood level high enough to trigger the first test of Mount Vernon's new flood wall.

For some reason I thought Lion's Park was also protected by the new flood wall. Clearly I was in error.

This would appear to be, currently, a very mild flood.

I remember a Thanksgiving Weekend Flood of the Skagit River, back in the last decade of the previous century. Hundreds of people, including the National Guard, worked through the night to build a sand bag flood wall to save downtown Mount Vernon from a record breaking flood.

But, just as the river began to crest, with a huge crowd on high ground watching the expected calamity, suddenly, just as the river began  to go over the wall of sand bags, it dropped a foot. A miraculous Act of God? I'm sure that is what some thought.

But soon sirens began wailing and the news spread that the Skagit River dike had breached downriver from downtown Mount Vernon, flooding Fir Island with a catastrophic wall of water.

When the flood subsided the breach was repaired. And then two weeks later it happened again. Another record breaking flood.

I hope Mount Vernon's new flood wall does what it is expected to do, which is keep downtown Mount Vernon dry.

Western Washington Braces For A Strong Pineapple Express Today

You are looking at what Granite Falls looked like in November of 2006, when the Stillaguamish River and all the other rivers of Western Washington went in to flood mode brought on by several Pineapple Express Storms in a row.

Washington is scheduled to get hit with a Pineapple Express Storm this afternoon, dumping 8 inches of rain in the mountains, with 3 inches expected to fall on the lowlands.

Along with the rain the temperature will rise, with melting snow adding to the flood.

I don't remember when the term "Pineapple Express" was first heard by my ears. It seems it was during the Thanksgiving Day Storm back in the 1990s. That was the worst flooding I remember ever seeing. I'd been up well past midnight, helping sandbag downtown Mount Vernon. The flood was expected to go over the sandbags and flood downtown Mount Vernon.

That would have been a real bad thing. When the Skagit River runs high, downtown Mount Vernon is like New Orleans, well below the water level.

During that particular flood a large crowd had gathered to view the crest of the river, from elevated vantage points. But, just as the time of the predicted crest arrived, the Skagit River dropped a couple feet. The dike had broken down river, flooding Fir Island, saving downtown Mount Vernon.

Two weeks after the Thanksgiving Day Flood, which was supposedly something like a 100 year, or more event. It happened again.

I hope today's Pineapple Express is not a real bad one. But I suspect it may be. There is a lot of snow on the Cascades, ready to melt.

"A Chinook" was what warm tropical air hitting the Pacific Northwest used to be called before the "Pineapple Express" phrase became the popular term used to describe the weather phenomenon in which a strong flow of atmospheric moisture forms near the Hawaiian Islands and then extends to any location along the Canadian or American Pacific Coast.

Betty Jo Bouvier & the Skagit Valley Food Co-op in Mount Vernon Washington

A few weeks ago I verbalized the sad lament that in my current location in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, with around 6 million people, there is nothing quite like the Skagit Valley Food Co-op.

The Skagit Valley Food Co-op is located in Mount Vernon, in the Skagit Valley of Washington.

There are Whole Foods Markets here in the D/FW zone. And Central Markets. And a lame "health food" store or two.

But nothing like the Skagit Valley Food Co-op.

I don't remember, exactly, when the Skagit Valley Food Co-op first opened. I know it was in the early 1970s. I do remember the location, near the County Courthouse. At that point in time the Co-op was a totally hippie affected, counter culture, very granola, Mother Jones, Mother Earth type of place.

The original Skagit Valley Food Co-op was the first place I ever saw a baby being breast fed.

Over the years the Co-op became more and more mainstream. At some point in time the Co-op moved to a new, big location in the old J.C. Penney's building. Modern cash registers showed up. You could use your debit card.

In the new location a restaurant was added to the Co-op. I remember Friday's Spaghetti Night as a real good thing. I wonder if they still have Spaghetti Night.

It is at least 11 years since I set foot in the Skagit Valley Food Co-op.

After I lamented the lack of such a store here in my zone of Texas, Betty Jo Bouvier, she being one of the Wild Women of Woolley (that's Sedro Woolley to you unfamiliar with the Skagit Valley), mailed me the Skagit Valley Food Co-op's November advertisement.

So, the Skagit Valley Food Co-op has gone even more mainstream since I moved. I don't recollect seeing Co-op ads when I lived in the Valley.

The Skagit Valley Food Co-op also now has a very well-done website. That also did not exist when I lived in the Valley.

The Co-op also has a blog. Blogs had not yet been invented when I still lived in Washington.

Skagit County Fair in Mount Vernon Ends Saturday August 14

The Skagit County Fair 2010 edition started up Wednesday, August 11. It ends tomorrow, Saturday, August 14.

Betty Jo Bouvier, one of the Woolley Wild Women is heading to Mount Vernon to the fair today. To see a 5 year old's Bunny 4-H display. At least that's why Betty Jo said she was going to the County Fair for the first time in years.

I suspect the real reason Betty Jo is fairbound is so she can participate in the Homebrew Competition. The Brewers Choice Awards are to be announced around 2pm Saturday. The categories of beer that Betty Jo might get to sample include American Pale Ales, India Pale Ales, Light Ales, Amber Ales, Dark Ales, Light, Amber and Dark Lagers, plus Other Beers, like those flavored with fruit.

It costs $7 for an adult (19-64) to get in the fair. Seniors (65+) are $6. Kids (7-18) are also $6. Under 6 is free.

Entertainment at the Skagit County Fair

Friday, August 13

11:30AM Roberto the Magnificent
1:00PM Hypnotist Jennifer Harris-Balch
2:00PM Poor Man’s Jug Band
4:00PM Hypnotist Jennifer Harris-Balch
5:30PM Bad Apples
6:30PM Candysound
7:30PM The Halyards
8:30PM The Lonely Fores

Saturday, August 14

11:30AM Roberto the Magnificent
Noon Polecat
1:00PM Hypnotist Jennifer Harris-Balch
2:00PM Poor Man’s Jug Band
3:30PM Queen’s Bluegrass
5:00PM Hypnotist Jennifer Harris-Balch
6:00PM The Fair & KSVR Radio presents: Gallos Musical
7:00PM Alegres Musical de Durango
8:00PM Atrevidos de Mexico

Please show up for my 7PM Alegres Musical de Durango performance.

Directions to the Skagit County Fair

From I-5, take the Anderson Road Exit 225
Head West on Anderson Road
Turn Right (North) onto Old Higway 99 South Road
Old Highway 99 South Road becomes South 2nd Street
Turn Left (West) onto Taylor Street

Parking is at the South Gate off of Taylor Street.

Seattle #1 Strongest Economy in America, Mount Vernon #47

You are in downtown Mount Vernon, in the picture, looking north at a rainbow that seems to be hitting the bridge across the Skagit River that leads to West Mount Vernon and points beyond, like Anacortes.

A couple days ago a research firm named Policom ranked what they called Metro Area according how strong the various Metro Area's economy was, based on a couple dozen economic factors, like per capita earnings and medical costs.

I have no idea when Mount Vernon/Anacortes became a Metro area, but Policom ranks the Mount Vernon/Anacortes/Skagit Valley Metro Area as the 47th strongest economy in America, ahead of economic powerhouse areas, like Silicon Valley, which came in at #71.

Policom ranks Seattle as the #1 strongest economy in the United States in 2010. Olympia is #14, Portland #24. Check out, below, some of the other Pacific Northwest "Metro" Areas and how they rank, economy-wise, in 2010....

METRO AREA	2010 RANK	2009	2008	2007	2006	2005	2004
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro (Ore., Wash.)	24	24	30	49	63	64	60
Boise City-Nampa (Idaho)	37	65	48	66	78	70	55
Bellingham (Wash.)	42	71	97	126	162	192	240
Bend (Ore.)	43	49	46	61	79	76	101
Mount Vernon-Anacortes (Wash.)	47	70	98	107	122	108	127
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont (Calif.)	51	41	62	63	74	86	80
Bremerton-Silverdale (Wash.)	64	88	88	106	135	155	192
Kennewick-Pasco-Richland (Wash.)	70	125	137	175	203	237	268
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (Calif.)	71	89	104	120	120	89	73
Spokane (Wash.)	109	119	151	194	220	229	193
Medford (Ore.)	120	93	86	93	129	102	135
Coeur d'Alene (Idaho)	124	147	161	160	144	126	109
Eugene-Springfield (Ore.)	175	148	127	140	160	130	139
Salem (Ore.)	212	168	158	184	217	194	168
Lewiston-Clarkston (Idaho, Wash.)	235	275	283	300	326	327	306
Wenatchee-East Wenatchee (Wash.)	269	255	285	250	277	303	293
Corvallis (Ore.)	270	263	244	222	219	176	147
Yakima (Wash.)	278	309	318	304	320	325	337
Longview (Wash.)	290	273	305	273	294	313	341

BusinessWeek Says Mount Vernon Top Town In America To Rebound From Recession

I was surprised to learn this morning that BusinessWeek magazine has picked Mount Vernon, Washington as the #1 city in America to rebound from the recession in the first quarter of the new year.

Mount Vernon is a great town. I can see how it was possible for Mount Vernon to be picked as the Best Small City in America, which it was, in 1998.

But, how in the world would a magazine determine that Mount Vernon will be the #1 rebounder from the recession?

BusinessWeek said Mount Vernon's tourist attractions, retail and hospitality industries and proximity to Seattle and Vancouver were the reasons it will recover quickly.

Mount Vernon is an attractive, scenic town, with a powerful river, the Skagit, running through it. You can fish for salmon in Mount Vernon. Not many towns can make that claim. Mount Vernon is very hilly with a bike trail system meandering around town. You can drive to the top of Little Mountain for a panoramic view of the Skagit Valley, including the agricultural fields where a lot of America's food is grown. And tulips.

It will be interesting to get more details as to how BusinessWeek came to decide Mount Vernon is poised to recover economically before the rest of America.

Mount Vernon, Washington

That big white blob you see in the center of the picture is Mount Baker. Your vantage point for looking at Mount Baker is from Interstate 5 in south Mount Vernon.

Mount Baker is a dormant volcano. Mount Vernon is a town in Washington. Mount Vernon is the last town I lived in in Washington. Mount Vernon is the county seat of Skagit County. Skagit County is so-named because of the valley and the river named Skagit.

The Skagit Valley is one of the most fertile, agriculturally speaking, locations on the planet. The climate of Skagit County is similar to northern France, which is one reason millions of tulips are grown annually in the Skagit Valley, but none are shipped to France, due to the import/export laws of the European Union that protect its markets.

I think it is possible to buy a French (or Dutch) tulip in America. Yet one more unfair trade issue.

In 1998 Mount Vernon was rated the #1 "Best Small City in America." By whom, I do not remember. Rand McNally? Forbes? I do remember CNN showed up in town. When I lived in Mount Vernon and it was named the Best Small City in America, I, and others were perplexed. Living there many saw many ways the town could be made better.

Now, 10 years later, having spent those 10 years in Texas, I can see quite clearly how and why Mount Vernon could and would be named the Best Small City in America. Just the scenic setting might be enough. Then you have all the recreational opportunities. Paved trails running through the town. Skagit Valley College. The extremely well-done downtown, with the Skagit River running through it.

A strong sense of community. I'll never forget being in downtown Mount Vernon about 2 in the morning. The Seattle TV stations had let us know that downtown Mount Vernon was in danger of being wiped out by the flooding Skagit, due to crest around noon that morning. A flood of people flooded downtown, working with the National Guard, sandbagging downtown.

As the crest of the flood approached, water began to top over the sandbags. I watched from high ground above downtown. I have never seen water look so violent. Then, suddenly, the water level dropped. Emergency sirens sounded. An hour, or so, later I learned that a dike downriver had broken, flooding a dike protected area called Fir Island. Mount Vernon was spared, but Fir Island was a disaster. Two weeks later it happened again. The first flood was called the Thanksgiving Flood, due to when it happened. I do not recollect what the flood 2 weeks later was called. I believe they were both what are known as 100 year floods, as in, floods that bad happen only once every 100 years, on average. Not every 2 weeks.

I miss Mount Vernon, the Skagit Valley and tulips. Possibly the best place to live on the planet Earth.