History
Until 1906, the Green River flowed into the White in downtown Auburn. In 1906, however, the White River changed course above Auburn following a major flood and emptied into the Puyallup River as it does today. The lower portion of the historic White River—from historic confluence of the White and Green Rivers to the historic confluence with the Black River at Tukwila that forms the Duwamish—is now considered part of the Green River. Then, with the opening of the Lake Washington Ship Canal in 1916, the lake's level dropped nearly nine feet and the Black River dried up. From that time forward, the point of the name change from Green to Duwamish is no longer a confluence of rivers, though it has not changed location. Thus, the Green River now becomes the Duwamish River, flowing into the industrialized estuary known as the Duwamish Waterway and thence Elliott Bay in Seattle. By contrast, the White turns south at Auburn, and flows into the Puyallup River and later Commencement Bay in Tacoma.
In October 2009 giant sandbags were placed along the levee from Fort Dent through Kent and the Green River Trail was closed up to five years. The Hanson Dam's strength is unpredictable and the possibility of flood hazard has been announced. Repair on the dam has reduced flood threat significantly and the Army Corps of Engineers continues work to strengthen the partially earthen dam.
Read more about this topic: Green River (Washington)
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“A man will not need to study history to find out what is best for his own culture.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“Don’t give your opinions about Art and the Purpose of Life. They are of little interest and, anyway, you can’t express them. Don’t analyse yourself. Give the relevant facts and let your readers make their own judgments. Stick to your story. It is not the most important subject in history but it is one about which you are uniquely qualified to speak.”
—Evelyn Waugh (1903–1966)
“To history therefore I must refer for answer, in which it would be an unhappy passage indeed, which should shew by what fatal indulgence of subordinate views and passions, a contest for an atom had defeated well founded prospects of giving liberty to half the globe.”
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826)