Story perspectives

Flooding Displaces Families, Sparks Dredging Debate in Washington

3/22/2026

Summary

Story summary

Saul Magallon, a Washington state resident, and his family were displaced when flooding saturated their home with 30 inches of mud and sewage.
Magallon and other residents advocate dredging the Nooksack River to reduce future floods.
Climate change intensifies flooding, highlighted by an atmospheric river that forced evacuations.
The flooding raises concerns about overdevelopment and protections for endangered salmon, complicating dredging debates reflecting conflicts between Indigenous tribes and newer residents.

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Story summary

Saul Magallon, a Washington state resident, and his family were displaced when flooding saturated their home with 30 inches of mud and sewage.
Magallon and other residents advocate dredging the Nooksack River to reduce future floods.
Climate change intensifies flooding, highlighted by an atmospheric river that forced evacuations.
The flooding raises concerns about overdevelopment and protections for endangered salmon, complicating dredging debates reflecting conflicts between Indigenous tribes and newer residents.