A mail-in ballot election meant no trip to the polls today, so rain and eastern Skagit County flooding were not a concern in terms of voter turnout. Water is running higher than usual in Anacortes, as evidenced by this photo of Ace of Hearts Creek near 41st and “H” Avenue, but it is our neighbors to the east who are anxious about the level of the Skagit River. According to the Skagit County website Tuesday at 1 p.m., “Due to heavier than predicted rains, the National Weather Service has revised its crest prediction for the Skagit River in Mount Vernon. The new prediction is for a crest of 36 feet at 10 p.m. tonight. The previous crest level was 34.9 feet at 4 p.m. this afternoon.” For Anacortes residents who believe we are unaffected by Skagit River flooding, it is important to remember the river is our source of water. The city water treatment plant lies smack in the middle of a flood zone in Mount Vernon.