Flooding & Erosion

Featured Items:

Have Minor Flooding? -- Protect Your Valuables and Family

The City wants to remind citizens of these important safety tips in the event of flooding at their home.
  • Never use gasoline-powered pumps or generators indoors to pump out basements as they produce deadly carbon monoxide exhaust fumes.
  • Raise items that could be damaged up off the floor in areas prone to flooding such as basements.
  • Ensure your electronic equipment are unplugged and up off the floor.
  • Visit the Emergency Management Division flooding information online for tips on:
    • How to safety pump out your basement, and
    • Cleaning and drying out your house and more.

Contact Information:

  • Street flooding emergencies: During normal business hours (Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) call 360.753.8588. After 5:00 p.m., weekends and holidays, call 360.753.8333.
  • Ongoing Stormwater or erosion-related problems: Environmental Code Enforcement at 360.753.8346. 24-hour messaging available.
  • Property flooding: For localized or nuisance flooding, call Environmental Code Enforcement at 360.753.8346.

Resources:

Erosion Problems:

Erosion is the movement of soil by the action of water or wind.  Soil that leaves sites negatively impacts drainage systems, and ultimately pollutes streams and the sound.  The soil in the water has several adverse impacts, these include:
  • Decreased available oxygen content of the water, needed to sustain aquatic life.
  • Addition of harmful nutrients, bacteria and heavy metals into natural ecosystems.
  • Decreased water clarity.
Erosion control and prevention begins with good planning and ends with stabilized soils, which resist erosion.  The City's Stormwater Utility administers the requirements for erosion control for construction sites and other soil-disturbing activities.

Localized Flooding:

Flooding can be very localized and affect one property, or it can be City-wide.  Regardless of the size, flooding can cause property damage and economic damage to our community.  The City of Olympia's Stormwater Utility has worked diligently since its creation to solve the majority of the city's flooding problems.  This work is ongoing, with the Utility seeking to provide a flooding response to all sizes of flooding problems.

Contacting Public Works

  • Physical Address: 924 7th Ave. SE, Suite A
  • Mailing Address: PO Box 1967, Olympia, WA 98507-1967 (directions)
  • Hours: M - F from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (except for City-recognized holidays)
  • 360.753.8588, TTY 360.753.8005
  • publicworks@ci.olympia.wa.us