SEATTLE -- A Corps of Engineers colonel went before the King County Council Monday morning to brief officials on the attempt to stop a leak at the Howard Hanson Dam.

Col. Anthony Wright told the council there is a one-in-three chance of flooding this winter. He said the odds could improve with their efforts to inject an underground grout curtain to stop the leak on the dam's right abutment.

Wright will decide whether the dam can hold back heavy winter rains when the project is finished in early November.

If there are heavy rains, the corps will have to release floodwaters into the Green River Valley to stop the dam from failing altogether.

Meanwhile, emergency efforts will continue Monday to prepare for flooding downstream from the dam.

Crews are using huge sand bags to fortify levees along the Green River.

Residents met at a community meeting Saturday at the ShoWare Center in Kent, where another meeting will be held Thursday evening on the flood risk in Kent, Renton, Auburn and Tukwila. Officials have told residents to prepare evacuation plans.