Spokane County's hazard mitigation plan lists flood declarations in 1956 and 1957, and the February 1996 flood reached the county among 24 Washington counties. A property in the flood-prone reach can flood again, because the water route that reached it once is often still there. A written water history helps the next repair.
Key takeaways
- The county's hazard mitigation plan lists flood declarations in 1956 and 1957, so high water in the county has a long record.
- The February 1996 flood affected Spokane County among 24 Washington counties, according to the county plan.
- Repeat flooding happens when the water route to the house is unchanged, and a repair alone does not change the route.
- A written water history with the water line, readings and removals from each event lets the next visit compare the new water with the old.
- Changes to the drainage, grading or the lowest floor are work for a qualified contractor, and the water record gives them a starting point.
What do the 1956 and 1957 declarations mean?
The county's hazard mitigation plan lists flood declarations in 1956 and 1957. A declaration means the flooding was serious enough for an official response. It shows that high water in the county is not a new problem.
A declaration is an official step taken when a flood causes enough harm to call for a response beyond the usual. The plan's list of declarations is the county's own record, and it is the starting point for understanding how often high water has reached the county.
The declarations do not tell you how high the water reached at any one house. They tell you that the county has had flooding that required an official response in two different years, and that is the reason a property owner should keep a record of their own.
What happened in the February 1996 flood?
The February 1996 flood affected Spokane County among 24 Washington counties, according to the county's hazard mitigation plan. That is a broad event that reached the county along with many others in the state.
A flood that affects many counties at once is usually driven by weather across a large area. The plan records the event as part of the county's history, and it does not give a damage count for Spokane County in the sources available for this page.
For a homeowner, the important point is that the same water route that carried water in 1996 can carry it again. The house, the drains and the grade are what decide whether a repeat event reaches the building.
How does a repeat flood happen to a repaired house?
A repair fixes the damage from one event but does not change the route the water took. Ground water, drains and the slope of the lot decide where the next water goes, so a repaired house can flood at the same spot again.
A new floor laid over a wall that still wicks water will cup again. A new wall board placed over a cavity that was never dried will hold the same moisture. The first question for a repeat-flood property is what changed between the two events, and what did not.
The Spokane County Flood Insurance Study describes spring snowmelt and winter rain-on-snow as the main flood types in the county. A property that has flooded by one of those routes can flood again by the same route, unless the route is addressed.
What should a water history contain?
A water history lists each event, the date, the water line on each wall, the source as far as it is known, the readings from the drying, the materials removed and the photographs. It is kept with the house papers.
The history should be specific. A line that says the basement flooded in a given year is less useful than the water line in centimeters, the removals and the drying record. Specific records let the next crew compare the new water with the old marks.
Ask each crew and each contractor to leave a written record. Keep copies with the insurer's correspondence and any repair receipts, because a future buyer or a future insurer may ask for them.
Can I stop the water from coming back?
You cannot make a property flood-proof, but the route the water takes can often be reduced. Drainage, grading, window wells, sump capacity and the lowest floor's finishes are the usual places to look, and a qualified contractor reviews the options.
Clear the drains, the window wells and the gutters before the wet season, and check that the sump discharges well away from the house. Those steps are simple and inexpensive compared with a repeat cleanup, and a homeowner can do them safely.
Bigger changes, such as raising a floor, adding a drain or changing the grade, are decisions for a qualified contractor. The design depends on the house and the lot, and the water history is the evidence that makes those choices specific.
Do I need to tell an insurer or a buyer about past floods?
Tell your insurer about earlier events you know of, and disclose a prior flood to a buyer. An honest history protects you when you apply for a policy or make a claim, and the written record explains what happened and what was done.
An earlier flood can affect a policy's terms and the review of a new claim, so an accurate history is in your interest. If you do not know whether an earlier event was recorded, ask the insurer or the previous owner, and keep any letter you receive.
The Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner handles consumer complaints about how claims are handled. The insurer decides what applies to your policy, and your written history gives that decision an accurate starting point.
How does the county record help me plan?
The county record shows that flooding recurs, which is a reason to plan for the next event rather than assume the last one was the final one. The plan, the flood study and the water history together give a clearer picture than any one of them alone.
Look at the county's hazard mitigation plan and the flood study for the flood types and the declarations. Then look at your own water history for the route the water has taken. The two together show where the next water is most likely to come from.
Plan the next steps in order: clear the route, keep the record current, check the lowest floor and get a qualified contractor to review anything that changes the grade or the drains. A property that has flooded before is best managed with a plan that is written down and kept up to date.
How do the 2017 and 2025 events fit the county record?
In February 2017, snowmelt and rain closed many county roads, and the Hangman and Latah gauge at Spokane recorded a crest of 11.6 feet. In March 2017 the mayor declared a flooding emergency as the Spokane River approached near-record levels. In February 2025 the creek gage rose to 12.7 feet against a flood stage of 11.0 feet.
Those events are recent and local, and they sit alongside the 1956, 1957 and 1996 declarations in the county record. Together they show high water in the county across several decades and across both the river and the creeks.
A property that took water in any of those years should check its own water history against them. The question is whether the water came by the same route, and whether the house has been changed since to close that route.
What should a homeowner do after a second flood?
After a second flood, compare the new water line with the record of the first, check whether the same entry and route were used, and ask the crew to read the materials that were repaired after the earlier event. The new written record becomes part of the water history.
Earlier repairs can hide moisture, so the crew should read the framing and the subfloor where the old work was done. An old repair that sits over damp material is a common reason for a second problem, and a reading is the simplest way to check it.
After the drying, update the water history with the new event and send copies to the insurer and to any contractor you use for the next repair. A single current record is more useful than a set of separate notes from each visit.
Frequently asked questions
What does a flood declaration mean for my house?
A declaration is an official response to a serious flood across an area. It does not describe the water at any one house, but it shows that the county has had high water that required a response, which is a reason to keep your own record.
Does a repaired house flood again?
It can, if the water route is unchanged. A repair fixes the damage from one event but does not change the drains, the grade or the path the water takes to the building.
What should I keep in a water history?
The date of each event, the water line on each wall in measured units if possible, the source as far as it is known, the drying readings, the removals and the photographs. Keep the history with your house papers. Include the year of each event, even when the event is old, because a repeat-loss pattern is easier to see when every event is on one page.
Who should I ask about changing the drainage?
A qualified drainage or grading contractor, chosen by you. The water history gives that contractor the water line and the path, and the design of any change is the contractor's work.
Do I need to disclose a past flood when I sell?
Yes, the honest course is to disclose it and give the buyer the written record. A prior flood affects the property and its insurance, and the record shows what happened and what was done about it.
Is the record of earlier floods public?
The county's hazard mitigation plan and the Spokane County Flood Insurance Study are public documents, and they describe the flood history of the county. A property's own water history is a private record, and the owner decides who sees it, subject to any disclosure duty.
Will a flood history lower my insurance options?
It can affect what is offered and at what terms, because an insurer reviews the risk of a property. Disclose the history accurately, ask the insurer how it is treated, and compare the terms before you choose a policy.
Sources
This guide is general information for Spokane County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.