Update Dec. 12, 10 a.m.: SR 203 is now open south of Carnation. It remains closed north of Carnation and north of Duvall. Duvall is still isolated.
—————
Flood waters have isolated both Carnation and Duvall Dec. 11, and leaders aren’t sure when there will be a way out.
The two towns are about 20 miles northeast of Bellevue. Duvall is about 10 miles north of Carnation.
The two towns sit high enough that it is unlikely they would need to be evacuated during a flood — neither currently have evacuation orders. But they are typically at risk of being shut off from outside towns due to the low-lying roads around them.
“The city of Carnation itself doesn’t really have a lot of flooding areas,” Mayor Jim Ribail said in an October interview. “We become Carnation island.”
Duvall has four ways out of town, two of which are also ways out of the Valley. Drivers can go north or south on SR 203 or cross the Snoqualmie River, either on NE 124th Street or NE Woodinville-Duvall Road. The second bridge across the river closed early this morning, and SR 203 north of Duvall also closed today.
Carnation also has a few ways out of town, all of which result in closures or dead ends at some point. SR 203 is closed south and north of Carnation as well.
It is unclear how much water is on SR 203 between Duvall and Carnation, but the closure north of Carnation would stop residents from driving between towns.
There are not currently any plans for reopening SR 203 or the other roads. A Duvall spokesperson said “tentatively the weekend, but hopefully sooner.”
In the mean time, residents should not attempt to go around road closure signs or drive through water of any kind. If there is an emergency, residents should call 911 for help getting out.
“Please STAY off closed roads,” Eastside Fire & Rescue posted on Facebook Dec. 11. “We have rescued more than a few people in the Duvall, Carnation and Fall City areas traveling over closed roads.”
For a full list of road closures, visit valleyrecord.com/news/snoqualmie-valley-road-closures-flood-2025.
Talk to us
Please share your story tips by emailing editor@kentreporter.com.
To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.kentreporter.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.
Flood water approaches SR 203 just north of Duvall Dec. 11, 2025. Photo courtesy of the city of Duvall
Flood water approaches SR 203 near Remlinger Farms at the south end of Carnation early on Dec. 11, 2025. Photo courtesy of the city of Carnation
