Record Flood Devastates Lower Yakima Valley
A catastrophic flood wipes out the recently constructed Richland bridge and isolates valley farmers as the Yakima River surges past its banks.
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Since last Saturday, the lower Yakima Valley has been experiencing one of the worst floods in its history. Every river bottom farm from the Horn to the river’s mouth has been inundated. While no homes were swept away, families were forced to seek safety on higher ground. The heaviest loss was sustained at the bridge between Kennewick and Richland, the north span of which was carried away about three o’clock Tuesday afternoon. This bridge was only built a few months ago. The current rapidly ate its way around the abutments at the northern end of the bridge and undermined the middle pier. Commissioner Pratt has announced that immediate steps will be taken to alleviate the isolated condition of the district.
“The current rapidly ate its way out around the abutments at the northern end of the bridge and undermined the middle pier.”
The destruction of the Richland bridge in 1918 serves as a stark reminder of the engineering challenges faced in a flood-prone river valley. The debate over bridge placement—moving infrastructure to higher ground—was a key civic argument of the era that continues to influence modern civil engineering and flood mitigation strategies.
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