Smoke Signals February 1990
Page 8
TAKES GRAND RONDE BY STORM
A powerful storm wreaked havoc throughout the
Pacific Northwesst in early January kicking in the new
decade with a bang. The storm winds reached 88 mph
on the Oregon Coast and 60 mph in the mid-Willamette
Valley area. 2.75 Inches of rain fell in Salem the day
before the storm hit. Manny communities reported
downed trees, blackouts, dead phone lines and numer
ous accidents.
Weather-related accidents claimed the lives of six
people throughput the Northwest, including three
Oregonians. Two people died and two people were
seriously injured on the 7th. According to reports,
90,000 Portland General Electric customers lost power
in the state. 12,000 PGE customers in Salem area lost
power.
Along the Oregon Coast, massive waves as high as 14
feet pounded the coast and winds over 80 mph forced
the Coast Guard to close Yaquina and Dcpoe Bays to all
but non-commercial traffic.
Wind uprooted as many as 15 trees at Western Oregon
State College in Monmouth and damaged the roofs of
the Instructional Technology Building and the Campus
Estates housing complex and the ventilation system on
the new Physical Education building according to
spokeswoman Judy Niesslein.
Flood warnings had to be issued for the Coquillc,
Yamhill, Tualitan, Luckiamute, Nehalcm, Wilson,
Silctz, Alsca and Suislaw rivers. The State Health
Division even issued a warning on the harvesting of the
shellfish, clams and mussels from the Yaquina Bay
because of raw sewage overflowing at the Toledo
wastewater treatment plant.
The heavy rain and winds caused a freight train to
derail and ripped into Rattlesnalc Ridge on the Hanford
nuclear reservation in Southccntral Washington with
gusts up to 92 mph. The Pacific Power and Light
Company gauge in Astoria recorded gusts of 94 mph.
Many schools had to be closed in Oregon, Washinton
and Idaho because of transportation and electricity
problems.
As of Monday, January 8th, 25,000 damage claims had
been filed in the region for an estimated $12.5 million
according to four leading insurance carriers in the
Northwest. On Tuesday, January 9th, Gov. Neil
Goldschmidt declared Tillamook County a disaster area.
In Polk County, the Luckiamute River reached its 27
foot flood stage. The Nehalem River crested at 24.9
feet, which is 13 feet above flood level.
In hard hit Grand Ronde, the rain has been sustaining
the Fink family. They rely on electricity for the farm's
well and without it they have been relying on the
rainwater to sustain the family and their livestock.
The storms were reported to have damaged an esti
mated 140 million board feet of timber in the Willam
ette National Forest. If all that timber milled into
lumber, it would provide enough wood for more than
10,000 three bedroom homes.
Also on the 11th, President Bush declared Tillamook
Countya disaster area because of the damge caused by
the three days of storms. The President's disaster
declaration meant that the state and local agencies could
apply for federal aid to repair damaged public works.
Oregon Governor Neil Goldschmidt has estimated the
damage to public property in Tillamook at 2.5 million.
Closer to home, Tribal Forester Cliff Adams said that
there are three particular areas on the reservation that
had at least 25 trees blown down by the high winds. "We
haven't looked at the entire reservation, but I think the
amount of damage suffered was insignificant." Adams
said the timber can still be used . "We'll be able to
salvage all the blow down so there probably won't be any
value loss."
: J II i JU
k-ui 1 j , r I
Z y I
c J
ft? Mm f S - 1, - :
This was all that was left of the Lincoln City's Kite Shop billboard along Highway 22 on the way to the coast.
4.'
f
2 This billboard behind the Grand Ronde Shopping
This local timberjack cleared Ford Road for traffic. Center was just one of the casulties ot the storm.
J
'f
'.'.wi.
2&
;Crv.
The
1
high winds caused considerable damage all along Highway 22. Powerlines were knocked over by falling trees.
v