Image: Sandbags line a road in Whatcom County in Washington State as floodwaters from the Nooksack River rise. / Whatcom County facebook

By Fraser Valley Today Staff

Atmospheric River

Floodwaters from Nooksack River heading north to Sumas Prairie

Dec 11, 2025 | 8:38 AM

CHILLIWACK — Daylight is giving emergency officials a good look at water levels across the Fraser Valley. A close eye is being kept on the potential impact of the Nooksack River flooding in Whatcom County south of the border.

According to data from U.S. officials, the peak of the flooding took place at 3. a.m. Thursday (Dec. 11) morning at the Nooksack River measuring station in North Cedarville in Washington State.

Water levels in the river peaked slightly above the 2021 peak which led to historic flood damage across the Fraser Valley. However several other factors will determine just how damaging flooding will be this time.

Water levels in the Nooksack River have been falling through the day and are forecast to fall below flood levels by Thursday evening.

Emergency officials estimate it will take at least seven hours for the flood waters to travel north from the Nooksack to the Sumas Prairie region of the Fraser Valley meaning a better picture of the potential flooding will be seen late Thursday morning.

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Chilliwack City Councillor Jason Lum remembers to the 2021 flooding very well. He is suggesting people take the warnings from emergency officials seriously. “If you have friends or family anywhere on the Sumas Prairie I would be taking the City of Abbotsford’s orders very seriously,” he said in a facebook post early Thursday morning. “If you are on the Eastern Sumas Prairie I would be taking action to make emergency preparations immediately.”