YAKIMA--
Emergency crews are focusing on homes closest to the Naches and parts of the Yakima river.
Main channels of the rivers will get hit hardest.

"This is gonna run hard and heavy for a long time..."

Jim Hall says this is what they needed to do back in 1996--get community leaders in the same room, far enough in advance to plan.
Fire, 911, public works, state patrol, you name it--they were there Friday--to figure out just how bad this flood would be, and how to tackle it.

"It hasn't changed much the predictions are backing off a little but they're not backing very far..." he says.

Significant flooding is expected for the Naches and Yakima rivers.
It'll be a long term thing--flooding potential could last a week.
Officials saw that coming with the deep snowpack and cold spring.

"That snow's starting to melt and that's becoming our problem now..."
(reporter) And the problem is...we're going to see a flood?
"We are going to see a flood, not to the extent of the 96 or 77 floods."

But the main parts of the rivers will see a lot of damage.
For them, it could look like the historic floods.
People living along creeks and in the lower valley... shouldn't get nearly as much.
But they'll be monitored.

"If one of the levies were to fail that lets water into an area we don't want and that creates havoc," Hall tells Action News.

And that's why the local Red Cross is prepared.

"The things it takes to make a shelter, toys for the kiddies, the list goes on..." Red Cross's Max Robinson says.

While search and rescue prepares for those who choose to put themselves in danger.

(reporter) "It sounded like in this meeting there was more concern for people doing recreational activities than there are residents living close to the river..."
"Yes, people that live close to the river are real familiar with what goes on so they're watching, concerned about their property," Sergeant Gerold Towell says.

The office of emergency management held a practice drill earlier this year for just this sort of thing.
Community leaders we talked to say they feel very prepared.

Please do not call 911 unless you're in an emergency.
If you just want information on the flood, including which shelter is closest to you, a special number is set up for you.
Here it is: 574-1900.