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Wednesday, June 23, 2021 Columbia Gorge News www.columbiagorgenews.com 11 School board hears safety exercise report at June 9 meeting Trisha Walker ■ By Columbia Gorge News HOOD RIVER — Catherine Dalbey, director of human resources, and Deputy George Economou, Hood River County Sheriff school resource deputy, presented the results of a multi-agency tabletop safety drill conduct- ed May 27 in the Hood River Valley High School gym. Tabletop drills are discus- sion-based sessions where team members meet in an informal classroom setting to discuss their roles and responses in an emergency. Economou worked with the Department of Homeland Security to find an exercise that could be used by the dis- trict and its community part- ners to practice responding to a safety threat or other type of emergency at a school. Afterwards, participants went over the exercise to assess overall strengths and weak- nesses, and to discuss major takeaways. “We’re lucky the Oregon Department of Education and ESDs statewide came to assist,” said Dalbey. “It was great to have their expertise, and it was designed to be our chance to talk through what we would do, and a safe space to make mistakes and ask those hard questions, and then try to figure out with our team what our next steps were going to be.” Multiple agencies were invited to participate — including private schools in Hood River County and emergency services in Wasco County — because any emergency incident is a community response, said Economou. “We did use an active shooter incident as the driving exercise, but it could have been an earthquake or hazardous materials spill, and all of these people would have come to the table,” he said. “It was a great opportu- nity to see faces and dust off the cobwebs, and work that collaborate muscle.” Dalbey said the long-term plan is for agencies to meet in the fall before school starts — including this fall — to maintain and foster relation- ships, continuously improve response systems and make sure that plans coordinate well. Economou said the table- top drills are a way to “crawl, walk, run.” “It wouldn’t make sense to try to do (a live emergency drill) if we couldn’t give peo- ple the opportunity to review (responses),” he said. “… We wanted to make sure people left positive and felt more confidence. It was a good confidence-building event.” Board Member Dr. David Russo asked if the district practices internal and exter- nal mass communication strategies. “How would we be communicating with our families, the media and the public?” he asked. Dalbey said that each organization has identified a public information officer, who would then work togeth- er at an information center. “At the tabletop drill, all of our public information offi- cers were able to collaborate and talk about who’s doing the communication, what’s going out, and how can we partner with the county emergency management and the emergency operation center to quickly set up a phone bank should we need to accept a large volume of calls into the district,” she said, adding that they discussed automated calling and texting to push out a general message to families right away. Board Member Chrissy Reitz and Vice Chair Julia Garcia-Ramirez pointed out that almost any emergency in the county was going to affect district families and staff, re- calling the 2017 Eagle Creek fire that threatened homes in Cascade Locks. “I think it’s great that even if we’re not at the center of the incident, we can still have those relationships so that we can say … how can we mit- igate any sort of aftereffects for our population or even, what can we do to help you,” said Reitz. Dalbey shared that the district is looking into the feasibility of putting solar and emergency power at Wy’east Middle School that would serve as a response hub for emergency services. “From a resources stand- point, we have buses and are able to transport people Multiple agencies in Hood River and Wasco counties participated in a tabletop safety drill, held at Hood River Valley High School, in late May. Stephanie Hoppe photo to and from an emergency,” she said. “… We have food in our kitchens. We have a lot of resources to be able to assist if something happens.” Board Chair Rich Truax said he was grateful that so many organizations came to participate in the drill. “It’s obviously a big effort and a big commitment from a lot of different groups, and even ESDs across the state,” he said. “It’s a benefit to the community.” Participating agencies Participating with Hood River County School District and Hood River County Sheriff’s Office were Hood River Police Department, Oregon State Police, Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Hood River Fire and EMS, West Side Fire District, Wy’East Fire District, Parkdale Fire and Rescue, Cascade Locks Fire and EMS, Hood River 911 Operations, Columbia Gorge ESD, Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital, Mid-Columbia Medical Center, City of Hood River Public Works, Hood River County Public Works, Hood River County Emergency Management, Columbia Gorge Community College, Wildwood Academy, Horizon Christian School, North Wasco County School District, Wasco County Sheriff’s Office, City of The Dalles Police Department, Wasco County Emergency Management and Mid- Columbia Fire and Rescue. Grants awarded for Fifteen Mile Creek project Underground water storage would help cool summer stream flows describe the water available instream versus the irrigation water demand for surface water diversion. Fifteenmile Creek is over-allocated, meaning there (typically) By Mark Gibson Columbia Gorge News would not be enough water left instream if all water right A pilot project could prove holders were to use their le- key to the future health of gal water right the full length Wasco County’s Fifteenmile of the summer/irrigation Creek, which originates in season. Mt. Hood National Forest Watermaster Bob Wood above Dufur and joins the “regulates back” (or reduces Columbia River just east of use for more junior water The Dalles. The project will right holders) users based on test an underground water water right priority dates to storage system designed meet minimum flow needs. to increase water flow and This is called the right of decrease water temperature prior appropriation. During in the creek, benefiting fish high spring flows, ample and area farmers alike. water is typically available to The Fifteenmile Watershed meet water rights and user Council has secured two demands. When streamflows grants from the Oregon decrease throughout the Watershed Enhancement summer, there is less water Board (OWEB) and a third instream than the certificated through Oregon Water water rights. Resources Department With low water levels come (OWRD) to move forward hotter stream temperatures, on a pilot project to provide which harms or kills salmon more water in Fifteenmile and trout that are spawning, Creek in summer by stor- rearing or migrating in the creek — including mid-Co- ing some of the creek’s winter and spring flow lumbia steelhead, listed as underground. threatened by the federal “Fifteenmile Creek often Endangered Species Act. exceeds lethal temperatures Stream temperatures in lower to aquatic species, harming reaches frequently exceed 65 steelhead and other fish as degrees during late summer well as threatening the water months, and have exceeded source for irrigators and their lethal thresholds in certain businesses, when flows are reaches, according to the low,” said Abbie Forrest of grant application. the Fifteenmile Watershed The Fifeteenmile Creek Council. “This project will Watershed Council is benefit both farmers and partnering with the Wasco fish in our basin and we are County Soil and Water glad that OWEB and OWRD Conservation District, which understood the need for this completed two studies that project.” both determined it is feasible The project will be located to divert cool water from approximately six miles up- Fifteenmile Creek during winter and spring when flows stream from Dufur, which is south of The Dalles in Wasco are higher, store it under- County. ground and return it in sum- Surface flows in mer when flows are low. Fifteenmile Creek are over-al- The new funding allows the council and partners to: located in summer months. • Construct a small-scale Over-allocation is a term to ■ An infiltration basin is shown in cross section. Creek water is diverted into the basin from the left and pumped through an underground pipe system into a deep basalt well to the right. The water is stored in the well until summer, when it is pumped back into the creek, there- by increasing summer flow and dropping creek temperatures. Contributed graphic Stream temperatures in lower reaches frequently exceed 65°F during late summer months, and have exceeded lethal thresholds in certain reaches. pilot project to test the underground water storage idea; • Identify an owner and operator for the project long term, including potentially a special district; • Identify funding for the project’s long-term opera- tions and maintenance; • Create initial designs for the diversion; • Design a treatment system to ensure diverted water meets water quality standards. Other fish species that will benefit from the project include Pacific lamprey, cutthroat trout and more. Additional project partners include Oregon Department of Agriculture, Oregon Water Resources Department and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. “The council has been seeking solutions to summer temperatures and low flows for over a decade,” said Shilah Olson, district manager of Wasco SWCD. “They are a model for collaborative conservation and there have been a lot of thoughtful conversations leading up to this point. The district looks forward to helping the coun- cil implement these grants and move the project from NEWS TIPS? info@gorgenews.com Dr. Cullen’s Call your locally owned independent mortgage broker today. Student of the week Damian Barajas, Keegan Student Ku Ku for Global Studies: of the week Keegan comes to class every I am nominating Damian Barajas for student day of the with a positive attitude and has works week. 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About the Fifteenmile Watershed Council Fifteenmile Creek Watershed is a 373 square mile (238,720 acre) drain- age area mostly in northern Wasco County. The City of Dufur, in the center of the watershed, encompasses 730 acres. The Fifteenmile Watershed Council was formed on March 19, 1997. The council is made up of many landowners, agencies and partners that are focused on managing irrigation needs with fish needs. About the Wasco SWCD Wasco County SWCD was formed by a consolidation of three districts on June 10, 1973 (originally created in 1942). Conservation Districts are local units of government consisting of a seven-mem- ber, locally-elected board of directors. Through partner- ships with organizations and public agencies, the district promotes a locally led, coop- erative approach to natural resource conservation.