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Warm Springs News
SON h is t o r ic a l i ¡OCTET Y
OR
P A R K A V *
1230
PORTLAND » OK 9 7 2 8 5
U.S. Portage
Spllyay Tymoo
Coyote News
VOL 8 NO 16
WARM SPRINGS, OREGON 97761
JULY 29.1983
C a m p e rs, flo a te r s
dismayed with flood
Spityay T y moo photo by Behrend
by Pat Leno
NO PARKING
Here one minute and gone
the next. . .that’s just about
how fast the flood waters on the
Deschutes River went the
afternoon of July 16. For
rafters on the river, the idea of
being dumped into' the river is
accepted but they didn’t expect
the river to be dumped into
their cars. That is what
happened to several who had
parked their cars in the park
area located across from the
Rainbow Market.
Throughout the day, there
had been summer rain showers
with brief periods of clearing.
Suddenly, during one of the
showers, a torrent of water
rushed down the river, it
happened so quickly, that a
family camping in the park had
their entire camp submerged.
They said they didn’t have time
to get anything out of the way
of the waters and all of their
gear was “sopping wet.” Thus
ended the family’s weekend.
A rafter enthusiast, Steve
Pomp of Portland, returned to
the park to find his car filled
with river water and his boat
trailer covered with weeds.
Water rushed out of his car as
he opened a door to inspect
dam age to his p e rso n a l
belongings. He said this sport
of rafting has become an
expensive hobby for him.
Earlier this year he lost a drift
boat and all his new gear to the
river. He said he hoped his
insurance would cover the
latest damage. A close look
into his car revealed puddles of
muck on the floor and. seats
soaked with water.
For some unfortunate river
drifters the discovery of the
flooding water would not be
made until they returned from
their trips down to Trout Creek
or Maupin.
Lightning causes malfunction at hydro plant
The first anniversary of the
dedication of the T ribe’s
hydroelectric project July 16
was marked with an unusual
chain of events beginning with
a severe lightning storm which
resulted in an unanticipated
rise in the Deschutes River. The
4.6 foot wall of water shooting
dow n the D eschutes was
caused after lightning disabled
controls a t the P o rtla n d
General Electric reregulating
dam four miles upriver from
Warm Springs adjacent to the
tribally-owned hydroelectric
project.
The storm, which began with
o m in o u s b l a c k c lo u d s
enveloping the area, deposited
. 15 inches of rain and hail in the
Madras and Warm Springs
a re a in a s h o r t, tim e .
Accompanying the downpour
was intense th u n d er and
lightning which created an
Weather
JULY
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
HI
86
80
77
87
94
91
80
75
80
LOW
48
60
54
49
60
64
61
44
50
maintain a flow for fisheries.
u nusual chain o f events 4.6-foot wall of water contrary malfunction in the future.
The possibility of lightning
resulting in the overflow of to the reported eight-foot wall
P G E p u b lic r e la tio n s
water through gates at the as seen in statewide news spokesm an Steve M ueller producing such a chain of
Pelton reregulating dam.
releases.
related that some steps had events to cause the overflow of
According to Pelton-Round
A meeting held by PGE already been taken. “The gates water through the reregulating
Butte dam project superinten officials and Pelton Dam will open automatically only dam spilways “is very remote,”
dent Bud Catto, lightning operators has resulted in the one foot,” he explained. Any says Catto. Equipment at the
struck close to the reregulating addition of more controls on greater opening would require dams have lightning protection
dam disabling a control cable the dam to minimize the manual operation. This one to minimize the effects of
which sends information from p o s s i b i l i t y o f s u c h a foot opening is necessary to lightning strikes.
the river level guaging station
2 0 0 y a r d s b e lo w th e
reregulating dam to the
reregulating powerhouse.
After lightning struck the
cable, causing a malfunction in
th e e q u ip m e n t, w ro n g
information was received by
the control equipment. The
reading indicated the river was
low.
Four spilway gates opened
automatically upon receiving
this computerized information.
The 14 foot openings allowed
22,500 cubic feet per second of
water to run into the river.
Normal flow is 4,600 cubic feet
per second.
The operator at Pelton Dam
was also receiving the same low
river information on his gauges
and left Pelton Dam to check
on the situ atio n a t the
reregulating dam. Upon arrival
he realized the malfunction and
closed the gates manually.
Gates at the reregulating dam
S/rftor r>woo p*oto Loto
had remained open for half an
The
waters
receded
quickly
from
the
park
area
located
across
from
the
Rainbow
Market during the
hour adding enough water to
the Deschutes River to make a recent flooding, but for rafters who had parked their cars close to the riverbanks the water remained
inside their cars creating puddles of muck, and mud.