Storm Event Summary Report

August 12
th
-13
th
, 2014
Weather Summary
The city experienced an intense storm during the night hours of August 12
th
, 2014 and continuing into the
early morning of August 13
th
. The rainfall totals and intensities varied considerably across Bellevue
resulting in differing responses from our built and natural drainage systems.
The storm occurred from 8pm on Tuesday the 12
th
to 6am on Wednesday the 13
th
, a duration of 10 hours.
The storm deposited an average of 1.55 inches of rain however it had some very intense localized zones.
The I-405/Coal Creek rain gage recorded the most accumulation as well as greatest intensities. It
received 2.75 inches during the 10 hour storm with intensities of rainfall well exceeding our design
standards. Not surprising it is the rain gage nearest to the most extensive reported flooding. . Flooding
was reported at multiple locations in the early morning of August 13
th
with the most extensive in the
Factoria Mall vicinity.
The least amounts of rain were recorded at NE 40
th
(1.14 inches) and the Meydenbauer Tank (1.16
inches) rain gages. As a comparison, the Bellevue Service Center (BSC) rain gage measured 1.42 inches
in this one event alone. The average at this location for the entire month of August is 1.0 inches. The
highest monthly accumulation at the BSC is 4.55 inches which occurred in 2004.
Individual rainfall amounts are listed in Appendix A. Rain gages and flooding are displayed on the map
in Appendix A and a chart of cumulative rainfall totals can be found in Appendix B.
The citys storm system is designed to convey a 24 hour storm that occurs in the winter months. The
August 12
th
-13
th
storm was a short duration, high intensity summer storm with 6-hour and 1-hour peak
rainfall that produced rainfall intensities that far exceeded typical storms in the Puget Sound at our Coal
Creek/I-405 rain gage.
Analysis of storm statistics:
Because the storm duration was only 10 hours, the average 24 hour rainfall totals are not relevant.
If the evaluation were to include a comparison with known 24-hour rainfall totals, only the I-
405/Coal Creek gage would have an accumulation sufficient to compare with the Intensity
Duration Frequency (IDF) curves for the Seattle region. That total comparison would reveal the
storm to be a 5 year storm recurrence interval (Appendix C). Again, this is only for comparison
purposes and has no real relevance to describing the storm event.
In terms of 6 hour peak rainfall, this storm exceeded the criteria for a 1,000 year recurrence
interval storm at the I-405/Coal Creek gage where 2.65 inches of rain were recorded between
11pm and 5am. Six hour peak rainfall can be found in Appendix D1, and the 6 hour IDF curve
for the Seattle region is located in Appendix D2.
In terms of one hour peak intensity, the Coal Creek/I-405 rain gage recorded 1.33 inches during
the 3 am hour of August 13
th
, which exceeds the 500 year recurrence interval storm based on
statistical analysis. One hour peak intensities are shown in Appendix E1 and the 60 minute
Seattle IDF curve is in Appendix E2.
The recorded rainfall at the Coal Creek/I-405 rain gage represents a peak-15 minute intensity at
an estimated 200 year recurrence interval.
The Coal Creek/I-405 rain gage was checked after this storm event and was found to be operating within
the manufacturers specifications. This indicates an extremely localized storm occurred in the Factoria
area.
SystemsandCommunityImpacts
Regional detention pond levels spiked during and after the storm. The Lower West Tributary Tank nearly
experienced an overflow (96.2% full). A comparison of pond elevations can be found in Appendix F.
The storm caused flooding at multiple locations throughout Bellevue, including:
Formula 1 Fast Lube 3625 Factoria Blvd SE (Estimated at 4 feet deep at Factoria Boulevard
between SE 36
th
St and SE 38
th
St and backed up into the underground oil changing bay releasing
an unknown amount of oil into the street and drainage system)
Newport Villa Condominiums at 12510 SE 42
nd
St (Seven units impacted)
16461 SE 34
th
St (Yard impacted)
3419 164
th
Ave SE (Yard impacted)
2436 W Lake Sammamish Pkwy (Water and mud in driveway and porch area, erosion in yard)
3432 167
th
Ave SE (Basement and garage impacted, culvert in front of property was half plugged
with sediment)
Sunset Auto Glass 11660 NE 8
th
St (CBs overflowed into warehouse area)
APPENDIX A: Total Rainfall by Gage for August 12
th
& 13
th
, 2
Circles indicate
relative rainfall
amounts. The larger
the circle, more
rainfall occurred.
10 Hour Storm Totals (Precipitation in inches)
RG#1 RG#2 RG#3 RG#4 RG#5 RG#6 RG#7 RG#8 RG#9 RG#10 RG#11
NE
40th
Tank
Cherry
Crest
Lake
mont
Park
Local
BSC
Meyden
Tank
I405/
Coal
Creek
Forest
Hills
Cross
roads
Tank
Cougar
Tank
Parksite
Tank
Phantom
Lake
STORM Inches Inches Inches Inches Inches Inches Inches Inches Inches Inches Inches
8/12 to
8/13
1.14 1.57 1.69 1.42 1.16 2.75 1.45 1.28 1.20 1.78 1.56
APPENDIX B: Cumulative Rainfall Totals
0.00
0.50
1.00
1.50
2.00
2.50
3.00
8/12/14 12:00 AM 8/12/14 10:00 AM 8/12/14 8:00 PM 8/13/14 6:00 AM
I
n
c
h
e
s
Cumulative Rainfall Totals
Bellevue, WA
August 12th-13th, 2014
NE40th
Tank
Cherry Crest
Lakemont
Park
BSC
Meydenbauer
Coal Creek
Forest Hills
Crossroads
Cougar Mtn
Parksite
Phantom
Lake
APPENDIX C: Isopluvial Map
Average of 1.55 inches
1.14-2.75 inches /24 hour storm
August 12
th
-13
th
, 2014
APPENDIX D1: 6 Hour Peak Rainfall
1.08
1.50
1.60
1.36
1.09
2.65
1.35
1.18
1.11
1.69
1.48
0.00
0.50
1.00
1.50
2.00
2.50
3.00
NE40th
Tank
Cherry
Crest
Lakemont
Park
Local
BSC
Meyden
Tank
Coal
Creek
Forest
Hills
Crossroads
Tank
Cougar
Tank
Parksite
Tank
Phantom
Lake
I
n
c
h
e
s
Peak 6-hour Rainfall Totals August 12-13, 2014
Peak 6 hr 8-12 to 8-13
1000 year- 6 hour storm= 2.50 inches
200 year- 6 hour storm = 2 inches
20 year- 6 hour storm = 1.50 inches
APPENDIX D2: 6 Hour IDF Curve Seattle
*The above graph (red line) plots the expected rate of recurrence for 6-hour precipitation events in the Seattle, WA region. The y-axis shows the
amount of precipitation in inches that corresponds with the storms expected recurrence (x-axis). Blue boxes represent documented 6-hour
storms in the area. The reading at I-405 represents a storm off the extents of this chart.
0.00
0.20
0.40
0.60
0.80
1.00
1.20
1.40
1.60
1.80
2.00
2.20
2.40
2.60
6
-
H
O
U
R
P
R
E
C
I
P
I
T
A
T
I
O
N
(
i
n
)
RECURRENCE INTERVAL (Years)
1.01
100 500 1000
Extreme Value Type 1 Plotting Paper
1.25 3.3 2 200
Regional Curve
50
5 10
20
Seattle WA
APPENDIX E1: One Hour Peak Rainfall
0.32
0.45
0.61
0.53
0.30
1.33
0.36
0.25
0.26
0.54
0.57
0.00
0.20
0.40
0.60
0.80
1.00
1.20
1.40
NE40th
Tank
Cherry
Crest
Lakemont
Park
Local
BSC
Meyden
Tank
Coal
Creek
Forest
Hills
Crossroads
Tank
Cougar
Tank
Parksite
Tank
Phantom
Lake
I
n
c
h
e
s
Peak 1-hour Rainfall Totals August 12th-13th, 2014
Peak 1 hr 8-12 to 8-13
50 year- 1 hour storm = 0.80 inches
2 year- 1 hour storm= 0.40 inches
500 year- 1 hour storm = 1.12 inches
APPENDIX E2: IDF Curve for Seattle 60 Minute/1 Hour Precipitation
*The above graph (red line) plots the expected rate of recurrence for 1-hour precipitation events in the Seattle, WA region. The y-axis shows the
amount of precipitation in inches that corresponds with the storms expected recurrence (x-axis). Blue dots represent documented 1-hour storms
in the area. The reading at I-405 represents a storm off the extents of this chart.
0.00
0.10
0.20
0.30
0.40
0.50
0.60
0.70
0.80
0.90
1.00
1.10
1.20
6
0
-
M
I
N
P
R
E
C
I
P
I
T
A
T
I
O
N
(
i
n
)
RECURRENCE INTERVAL (Years)
1.01 100
500
1.25 3 2 200
Regional Curve
50 5
10 20
Extended Time-Series
158-Year Period
APPENDIX F: DMP Percent Full
16.3%
69.8%
39.6%
53.3%
54.9%
96.2%
30.7%
64.0%
64.6%
36.3%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
80.0%
90.0%
100.0%
P
e
r
c
e
n
t
F
u
l
l
DMP Percent Full at Peak Elevation
August 12-13, 2014
APPENDIX G: Bellevue Flooding
APPENDIX G: Bellevue Flooding
APPENDIX G: Bellevue Flooding