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Five days of rain swamps central Oregon coast — but forecasters say we’re over the worst of it

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Quinton Smith This old boat, used by a homeowner along U.S. Highway 101 near Blodgett Road north of Yachats as a yard decoration, had its own pond to float in this week — if only it could float.

 

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews

Well, that was a doozy.

Continuous heavy rain for five days dumped between 10 and 17 inches of rain on the central Oregon coast through Wednesday, pushing rivers over their banks in spots and flooding some streets – but causing little damage or problems otherwise except along portions of the Siletz River.

For longtime weather watchers, it was the most rain over one- or five-day periods they had recorded in years.

One of the largest trees on the Alsea River collapsed Saturday in the Little Albany community and destroyed the boathouse beneath it. The tree and boathouse debris are now stuck in the middle of the river.

While predicting more rain the next three days, the National Weather Service forecast the three “atmospheric rivers” that slammed the area since Saturday have passed.

Although still high, the levels of most rivers in Lincoln County – including the Siletz and Alsea – had crested at or below flood stage Wednesday and would gradually recede the next few days.

But the drenching caused localized problems:

  • Five miles of low-lying Oregon Highway 229 is closed halfway between U.S. Highway 101 and Siletz due to high water from the Siletz River;
  • Residents of the Chinook Bend RV Park two miles up Highway 229 decided to evacuate on their own until the threat of flooding subsided;
  • Sections Beaver Creek Road north of Seal Rock were closed Wednesday when water filled low-lying portions of the road;
  • A massive spruce tree in the Little Albany neighborhood along the Alsea River collapsed into the water Saturday, taking a boathouse and at least one boat with it. It is now lodged in the middle of the river, with the boathouse and boats still stuck beneath it;
  • Many rivers with trees and other debris that had accumulated over the summer had them break loose and head downstream. As a result, beaches and bays were seeing lots of woody debris come ashore;
  • A small section of the eastbound lane of Yachats River Road just east of the 1-mile mark has sunk about a foot and is marked off;
Kenneth Lipp, Lincoln County Seven families in the Chinook Bend RV Park on the lower Siletz River evacuated Wednesday when water came over the riverbank and flooded the park on Oregon Highway 229 two miles east of U.S. Highway 101. The road in the picture leads to the park along the Siletz.

 

For the most part, the heavy rain filled ditches and low-lying areas of fields and roads and causing just minor inconveniences.

Lincoln County and Oregon Department of Transportation crews were busy clearing ditches along their roads and putting out warning signs for high water – and warning drivers to slow down and be careful.

In Waldport, city manager Dann Cutter said public works crews spent the week unclogging storm drains and trying to keep water moving. Areas of old town – much of which does not have storm drains – saw most of the water accumulate.

“High tide was at 6 a.m. Wednesday and it just created chaos,” Cutter said. “When you’re at the six foot elevation level and the tide is six feet there’s no place for all the water to go.”

Quinton Smith Most roads in Lincoln County, including U.S. Highway 101 between Waldport and Yachats, saw only high water caused by heavy rain and clogged culverts.

The numbers and forecast

Here are some of the numbers from the week, so far:

  • Bob Williams, a YachatsNews weather watcher who lives at the eight-mile mark in the Yachats River valley, recorded 4.23 inches of rain in the 24 hours ending at 10 a.m. Wednesday. In the first six days of December he’s measured 16.63 inches of rain – his usual amount for the whole month;
  • Adam Altson of Yachats, another weather watcher who lives near the ocean, recorded 4.18 inches of rain in the 24 hours ending at 7 a.m. Wednesday, the second highest daily rain total in his six years of recordkeeping; 10.95 inches of rain has fallen in the city so far this month – nearly the average for the whole month over the last 10 years;
  • The weather gauge at the Central Oregon Fire & Rescue station in downtown Waldport measured 10.21 inches of rain since Sunday and 11.26 inches for the month;
  • The rain gauge at the COCF&R station at Tidewater along the Alsea River recorded 13.48 inches of rain since Sunday and 16.61 inches for the month;
  • On Wednesday afternoon, the Alsea River at Tidewater was cresting just below 13 feet after reaching 15 feet late Sunday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The Alsea’s official flood stage begins at 18 feet.
  • The Siletz River at Siletz had dropped to 14.86 feet Wednesday afternoon after cresting at 17.7 feet, the USGS said. Flood stage on the Siletz begins at 16 feet.
Quinton Smith The only free sand bag station in south Lincoln County is at the Yachats Rural Fire Protection District station on the north edge of the city.

Wet, but better

The forecasts for the rest of the week from the National Weather Service are:

  • Thursday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 11 a.m., then rain before 2 p.m., then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2 p.m. West/northwest wind 10 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
  • Thursday night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 5 a.m., then rain and possibly a thunderstorm after 5 a.m. West/northwest wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
  • Friday: Rain, mainly before 5 p.m. Snow level 2,700 feet. High near 48. West/northwest wind around 7 mph becoming south in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent.
  • Friday night: Rain, mainly after 5 a.m. Snow level 2,600 feet. Low around 41. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent.
  • Saturday: Rain. Very windy. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent.