PAGE 8 JUNE 22,1982
SPILYAY TYMOO
Shifting sands causing problems on highway
by Marsha Shewczyk
An 80 acre sand dune, 87
percent of which is owned by
Warm Springs tribal members,
is encroaching upon Interstate
84 east of The Dalles. It is
presenting a safety hazard to
traffic on both the Union
Pacific Railway and on the the
east-west freeway.
After ten-years researching
the p ro b lem a so lu tio n
involving the Warm Springs
Tribe will be undertaken. The
Tribe has granted permission
for the State of Oregon to
quarry rock from the part of
the dune owned by the Tribe
and its tribal members to stop'
movement of the sand dune.
This sand dune has been
slowly moving towards the
interstate freeway for years.
But as it creeps closer to the
highway and the railroad
tracks the sand is creating a
safety hazard along with
increasing the cost for the
sand's removal each year.
The history of the sand dune
began 10-20 thousand years
back when towards the end of
the last Ice Age an ice dam
which blocked the Columbia
River gave way. Five-hundred
cubic miles of water was
released into the Columbia
River drainage producing a
c a ta stro p h ic flo o d from
northeastern Washington to
P o rtlan d , O regon. Flood
waters reached elevations of
800-1000 feet, stripping away
The sand dune marked Barrow’s A rea located seven miles east of The Dalles is slowly moving towards the Columbia River. The
the existing soil cover and fine particled sand continuously has to be removed from the highway and railroad tracks to ensure safety. The Confederated
leaving only barren land along
Tribes of Warm Springs has donated rock from sections owned by the Tribe and its members to stabalize the dune. Work will
the gorge.
begin
this summer.
Since th a t time strong
westerly winds have funneled
the sand from deposits,
cost of $10,000. In 1980, 38 continuing through the winter Springs tribal members the Union Pacific Railway is
tribe acted as a landowner in buffeting the cost oy paying
collecting it to form the dunes.
days were spent to remove and spring if necessary.
the discussion of the problem. one-third of the expenses in an
Eight other active but smaller
11,000 cubic years of sand at a
After discussions with all the
cost of$27,000. In 1981.18.000 land owners involved as to the Because the land is located off effort to protect its interests.
dunes exist in this general area.
Little dune movement occurs cubic yards of sand was hauled) treatment of the dune the the reservation it is under the
As it stands now the sand
away taking 50 days at a cost of Warm Springs Tribe gave jurisdiction of the superinten
in the winter and spring months
$39,500. If the sand dune is not permission for the rock to be dent. “The Tribe acted in the dune produces nothing. With
when the sand is wet. But when
capacity as the majority land the new mineral cover and
sta b a liz e d , the estim a te d
dry the dune is active,
used as the mineral cover to be
annual cost for its removal by taken from the tribal property owner,” according to Warm reseeding the dune’s potential
m ig r a tin g to w a r d s th e
1991 will be $100 thousand free of charge. The Oregon Springs soil conversationists will increase. After grass is
Columbia Rivker.
Dean Elliot. They acted with established, it may be possible
annually.
Aerial photographs taken in
State High Department will other owners of the dune.
to use the land for grazing.
1954, 1972 and 1982 show that
The threat to public safety as distribute the rock over the
Wildlife should increase also,
the windward edge of the dune
A
cooperative
agreement
dune.
well as the cost to the public are
Elliott commented.
has advanced at the rate of
was reached between the
the primary considerations in
Various types of vegetation superintendent, the Depart
approximately 250 feet in ten
Trespass has been a problem
discussion of the sand dune will be seeded in the mineral
years or about 25 feet per year.
m ent of T ra n s p o rta tio n , in the past. Dune buggies and
problem.
The
Union
Pacific
cover
according
to
steepness
of
At this rate the dune will move
railway provides both freight slopes, moisture conditions, the Union Pacific Railway and aritfact hunters frequent the
a c ro s s th e h ig h w ay in
and passenger service with a liv estock e x p o su re , wind the W asco C ou n ty Soil
approximately 130 years.
volumn of 30 trains per day exposure and visual impact. C o n se rv a tio n D istric t in area. A rock cover will
The Oregon State Highway
across the affected track. The Both native and imported deciding what to do to halt the discourage both. The area will
D e p a r tm e n t h a s ta k e n
be unsuitable for buggies and
dune’s activity!
interstate freeway has a traffic species will be used.
responsibility for removing the
artifacts will be covered and
volumn
of
approximately
7,300
The cost of the project is thus preserved.
In permitting use of rock
sand off the highway since 1956
vehicles
daily.
from land owned by the Warm estimated to be $200,000. The
w hen th e h ig h w ay was
relocated to the south side of
The railw ay com pany’s
the Union Pacific railroad
concern is for track alignment
tracks by the U.S. Corps of
problems.- The sand which
Engineers as a result of the
blows from the dune filters into
Dalles Dam construction
the ballast rock under the
In a statement to the Board c o m m u n ity ’s n e e d s f o r courses and programs under
the Senior Citizens Service
The sand blowing onto the
tracks ' causing the track of Directors June 9, COCC selecting qualified students.
highway and the tracks was
structure to lose its resiliency, President Fred Boyle said that
The Board also approved a Program will be offered for
only a minor problem, initially.
which in turn causes excessive without an approved operating change in senior citizen tuition. free, or at minimal fee, to cover
However, each succeeding
rail wear and alignm ent budget, the College will not be Rather than being admitted the cost of the program.
Six faculty members meeting
year, more and more sand
problems.
free of charge to all classes and
able to open this fall.
specific requirements were
blows onto the highway and
On jointed rails the sand
Directors agreed to-present a events under present policy, prom oted, while an equal
causes the joints to bind to the reduced levy to voters August seniors will be asked to pay
has to be removed.
number were awarded tenure.
Costs began increasing
rail rather than allowing
10. Boyle announced that, “If one-half price. However,
dramatically in 1965 when the
ho rizo n tal m ovem ent. In we cannot pass a budget on
freeway was opened. It was a
certain conditions and in hot August 10, then I would
16.6 mile round trip to deposit
weather expansion could cause propose to give all employees
Although the Forestry Camp
the sand at a dump site.
the track to kink out of line.
T he W estern F o re stry
of the College termination
Starting in 1980 sites with
M any ideas have been notices effective September 22, Center will have two, one-week is n o t a 4-H p ro g ram ,
easy covering capabilities were
studied to eliminate the sand
camp sessions for youth in 6th information was sent to county
1982.”
no longer available and the
dune problem including the use
Because two previous levy through 12th grades in July. 4-H E x te n s io n A g e n t.
sand was dumped into a wide
However, there are some
of brush fences, straw mulch, attem pts have failed, any Campers will stay at the
moat next to Interstate 84, two
mulch seeding of cereal eye, carryover funds will have to be C e n te r’s tree farm near excellent project materials
miles east of the dune. The sand
covering with tires, asphalt or reserved to pay unemployment Wilsonville. From there they available for 4-H Forestry Club
still had to be covered to
cement. A mineral cover was claims.
will travel to sites throughout leaders and members.
prevent its blowing. To obtain
Contact Doris at the Warm
decided upon as the best way to
Northwest
Oregon.
In o th er business, the
the covering a 30 mile round
Springs Extension Office (553-
stabalize the dune.
Each
session
costs
$85.00,
trip was necessary.
The process of depositing a Directors reviewed the nursing enrollment is limited and a 1161, ext. 238) for more
In 1978 4,500 cubic yards of
mineral blanket followed by program admission criteria and number of scholarships are information about the Summer
sand was removed from the
aerial reseeding will begin in found it to be fair, honest and available to those who cannot Forest Camp or 4-H Forestry
highway taking 15 days at a * the fail of'this year with work most responsive in meeting the
projects.
.
/I.??
COCC may be faced with closure
Forestry camp in July