The nugget., May 23, 2018, Page 4, Image 4

4
Wednesday, May 23, 2018 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Flooding always a risk on Whychus Creek
Correspondent
On a warm spring day,
gurgling Whychus Creek
meandering through town is
a pleasant sight. On days like
that, it is nearly impossible to
imagine that same peaceful
creek transformed into a rag-
ing river eroding banks, toss-
ing downed trees like Tinker
Toys.
It happens, and those who
live along the creek, both
inside the city limits and out,
bear a special responsibility
to be sure their property and
structures meet the City’s or
County’s development stan-
dards, conditions of approval,
and permitted uses.
The City recently approved
a Special Flood Hazard Area
Overlay (SFHAO) district
on the existing floodplain,
which establishes additional
or stricter standards and crite-
ria for covered properties, in
addition to those of the flood-
plain zone it covers.
Because the natural
course of Whychus Creek
is dynamic and subject to
change, the boundaries of
the SFHAO district may be
re-evaluated and adjusted
as necessary. If the Federal
Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) conducts an
updated study that results in
a change in the boundaries of
the special flood hazard area,
then the overlay district will
automatically adjust.
It is incumbent on each
owner of property abutting
the creek to know the rules
and regulations regarding
what kind of land uses are
permitted in the overlay area
and what are not allowed.
The City of Sisters
Development Code has a
chapter (2.10) devoted to
everything having to do
with development within
the overlay district, and the
most recent version will be
available from Community
Development Director
Patrick Davenport as soon as
the City Council approves it.
The chapter 2.10 on the City
website is the old version.
The permitted and con-
ditional uses of land within
the overlay district are not
the same as those on a lot
not adjacent to the creek,
and it is the property owner’s
responsibility to know them.
Prohibited uses number 11,
including new impervious
surfaces like paved paths and
patios; removal of native veg-
etation and root systems on
stream banks; new clearing;
grading; filling; land-disturb-
ing activity or other “devel-
opment”; and modification of
the stream channel.
Some property owners’ lot
lines extend out into the dry
creek bed and in some cases,
into the creek. Despite paying
taxes on that land, no activ-
ity or building is allowed —
no fire pits, greenhouses, or
gazebos.
Approximately 80 parcels
of land within the city limits
lie within the FEMA 100-year
floodplain, about 75 percent
of them developed. The U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers
conducted the first studies,
which resulted in the origi-
nal floodplain designation for
Whychus Creek.
Limited flooding has
occurred along the creek, with
the most significant event
being the Christmas flood of
1964 between December 18,
1964 and January 7, 1965.
There was major flood-
ing throughout the Pacific
Northwest and into north-
ern California, considered a
100-year flood.
The flood was brought
on by an atypical cold spell
that froze the ground, fol-
lowed by unusually heavy
snow, with a subsequent
Pineapple Express out of the
South Pacific, which brought
persistent, heavy, warm rain.
The rain melted the snow but
the ground remained frozen,
unable to absorb the rain.
According to the National
Weather Service office in
Portland, the Christmas flood
of 1964 was “the most severe
rainstorm to ever occur over
Central Oregon.” Crater Lake
received over 38 inches of
rain. The Highway 20 bridge
over Whychus Creek in town
washed out and flooding
occurred throughout the area.
In the past 14 years there
have been several instances
PHOTO BY SUE STAFFORD
Whychus Creek is “flashy,” and when it’s raging it’s really raging.
of rapid increases in the
flow amounts and speed of
Whychus Creek, causing it
to overflow its banks and run
fast, carrying soil, debris, and
large chunks of ice down-
stream. A couple of those
events were due to the exact
same conditions as the 1964
flood.
Another possible con-
tributing factor to flooding
See FLOODING on page 23
T HANK Y OU T O A LL V ETERANS
F OR Y OUR G ENEROUS S ERVICE
T O O UR C OUNTRY
Veterans’ Services
Serving those who’ve served.
D ESIGNERS & B UILDERS of D ISTINCTION
541-549-1575 | www.laredoconstruction.com
541-585-VETS (8387) | www.deschutes.org/vets
Your Care Can Treat You
or Your r Allergy
All
A
ll
For
m
mptoms
s T
TODAY!
AY
Y!
Symptoms
Nothing says quality like
true hand-forged ironwork
y
Allerg
F
F
O
0
$1 intment!
Appo ires 5-30-18
Exp
WALK-IN • URGENT CARE • OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE • X-RAY
541-548-2899 3818 SW 21st Pl.
Hwy. 126 to Redmond, two turns
and
a you’re there! (Near fairgrounds)
YourCareMedical.com
CCB#194489
“Your Local Welding Shop”
Enhance the look
and feel of your
home or business
environment
with our hand-crafted
iron products.
CCB# 87640
541-549-9280 | 207 W. Sisters Park Dr. | PonderosaForge.com
PHOTO BY ALEX JORDAN
By Sue Stafford