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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 10, 2016)
10A COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL February 10, 2016 D AMS Continued from page 1A bring to local economies, in addition to the $100 million or so in electricity produced by hy- droelectric power plants through partnerships with the Bonneville Power Authority and Lane Elec- tric Co-op, among others. But make no mistake — the dams’ primary purpose is fl ood control. The system allows the Corps to manage 77 percent of the runoff of the Willamette and its tributaries, Bengston said, though waterways like Mosby Creek, which is not regulated, add intrigue to the manage- ment of a reservoir like Dorena. It takes about two to three days for water to make its way throughout the entire system, and the close of 2015 and start of 2016 have given the Corps a lot more water to manage than the extremely dry weather the Willamette Valley experienced in months prior. “Flows like we had in Decem- ber are educational,” Bengston said. “They give us a hint of what the rivers could look like if the dams didn’t exist.” Data provided by the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Ad- ministration’s Northwest River Forecast Center also offers such insight. On Dec. 18, 2015, at a gauging station at Goshen past which the combined waters of the Row and Coast Fork of Meet Dorian Perkey “Flows like we had in December are educational,” Bengston said. “They give us a hint of what the rivers could look like if the dams didn’t exist.” the Willamette Rivers fl ow, the height of the river peaked at 11.27 feet. Had those high fl ows not been regulated, according to the NWRFC’s estimates, the river could have reached 15.1 feet in a location where it is considered full at 11.7 feet. Minor fl ood stage there is 13 feet, and major fl ooding occurs at heights of 18 feet or higher. (Information from the Goshen gauging station can be found at: http://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/ river/station/flowplot/flowplot. cgi?GOSO3). Younger generations may fi nd it diffi cult to envision a time when fl ooding was a more regu- lar part of life in Cottage Grove, but historical photos showcas- ing this community’s down- town underwater help shed light on wetter times, and an article printed in the Sentinel in De- cember of 1955 touted the two dams’ usefulness in preventing major fl ooding: “While most of Oregon suf- fered from damaging and deathly fl oods, Cottage Grove remained comparatively free from the di- saster,” the article stated. “The reasons for Cottage Grove’s freedom from fl oods were two products of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Dorena and Cottage Grove dams. Neither of these two dams entirely stopped the rampaging fl ood water that fl owed into them, but they con- trolled it.” The Corps completed Cottage Grove Dam in 1942 at a cost of $3.3 million; Dorena Dam fol- lowed in 1949. An excellent ar- ticle on the construction of the Cottage Grove Dam appears in Marie Gilham Geer’s book “They Called it Hebron,” about a community displaced when the dam was created. In it, Geer recounts that the dam spared the area from serious fl ooding in 1941, then again in the autumn of 1942, when 20 inches of rain fell in just over a month. These days, the dams are used to “take the peaks off the big storms from December through May,” explained the Corps’ Pub- lic Affairs Offi cer, Amy Echols. “You’ll see high water levels after a rain event because we’re releasing the water that we held back until the coast is clear,” Echols said. Information from the U.S. Geological Survey and the NOAA’s Northwest River Forecast Center is used to de- termine the Corps’ course of ac- tion, whether it be to release wa- ter through the dams’ regulating outlets or hold it back. “We look at the weather fore- cast 10 days out to get some- thing of a picture, but the fore- cast at three days out is where we start to get clarity,” Bengston said. Replenishing rains in late spring are allowed to fi ll the dams for the summer recre- ation season, after which they are again emptied in the fall in anticipation of winter, and Bengston said that these spring rains do more to fi ll the reser- voirs than the annual melt of the snowpack in the mountains. “We’re asked questions a lot about refi lling the reservoirs in the Willamette Valley,” he said. “The spring rains are what re- ally fi ll the reservoir.” The website for the Corps of Engineers’ Portland District, located at http://www.nwp. usace.army.mil/Missions/Wa- ter.aspx, offers data on river fl ows and fi ll levels at each of the valley’s 13 dams through “teacup diagrams.” members in regard to the ex- hibit’s visit. Pobiner, however, said that the conversations surrounding the exhibit are meant to fi nd a way to have a productive discussion regarding human origins. “Sometimes there’s an agree- ment to disagree, but most peo- ple who visit the exhibit want to fi nd the room to have a conver- sation,” she said. “The discus- sions can be lively, but they’re rarely negative or confronta- tional. That’s not the tone we’re trying to set.” Pobiner said that one require- ment of the application process Territorial Land Company, REALTORS Real Estate Brokerage & Property Management BINGO COUPON COTTAGE GROVE ELKS LODGE 755 North River Road Information 942-3554 PUBLIC WELCOME Every Wednesday (except Holidays) Warm Ups 6:30pm Regular Games 7:00pm Frequent Smoke Breaks, Exciting New Game Program “Bingo Burger Menu” Available 2 PROGRESSIVE JACKPOTS Bring this coupon and receive a 2nd Warm-up Pack FREE CG The Smithsonian Institution, The American Library Association, John Templeton Foundation, and the Cottage Grove Public Library Present: “Exploring Human Origins: What Does It Mean To Be Human?” E XHIBIT Continued from page 1A Territorial Land Company welcomes Dorian Perkey as a newly licensed Real Estate Broker. Dorian was born and raised in Cottage Grove. She is a graduate of CGHS and of the University of Oregon. Her father has been a local Real Estate Broker for over 25 years, so it would seem as though Real Estate is in her blood. With ambition and high expectations, Dorian plans on making this a successful life-long career. for the exhibit was to showcase a plan for events to accompany the exhibit. Following next Wednesday’s clergy meeting, a conversation will take place from 6-8 p.m. that examines the exhibit’s main themes. Po- biner said she’ll also be leading a workshop for local educators about teaching human evolu- tion, including the experiences they’ve had teaching the subject in the past. The donation of fi ve replica human skulls that teach- ers can check out as a reference material accompanies each of the exhibit’s stops. Some of the events scheduled as part of the Smithsonian’s ex- hibit include: Anthropology workshop at Cottage Grove High School: Thursday, Feb. 18, 12:30-2:15 p.m. Andrea Eller and her team from the Comparative Osteol- ogy lab at the University of Or- egon will lead. Full moon celebration: Mon- day, Feb. 22, 6-8 p.m. at the Li- brary. Educator workshop: Feb. 18, 3-5 p.m., a workshop for class- room teachers, museum and other educators. Human origins tour and fam- ily art: Saturday, Feb. 27 from 1:30-3:30 p.m. Cave painting with Tinika at the Library. Community conversation: Feb. 18, 6-8 p.m. A conversation meant to “help us understand each other’s perspectives.” Human Origins Oregon: Thursday, March 3, 6-8 p.m. Paisley, Columbia and Fort Rock Caves: 15000 years of History. Wisdom Seekers discus- sion: Thursday, Feb. 25, 6-8 p.m. Group will discuss what it means to be human. Feb. 17 th Science Program 6-8pm with Smithsonian Dr. Rick Potts Feb 18 th Community Conservation 6-8pm with Drs. Connie Bertka & Jim Miller Feb 22 nd Full Moon Celebration, Music , “Cave Painting” Family Friendly Event 6-8pm For more information: Cottage Grove Public Library: 541-942-3828 cottagegrovepubliclibrary.org is y r a u r ’s Feb n e r d l i h C l a n h t o i n o Nat M th l a e H l Denta Who’s the top-grossing ac tor in kids’ tooth decay stories? Sugar. And in Fe bruary 2016, during National Children’s Dental Health Month, the American Dental As sociation is bringing “Sugar Wars” * to a dentist’s offi ce near you. Your child’s dental hygiene isn’t only about brushing and fl ossing. The best way to prevent tooth decay and the costly dental cavities that result is to tackle the problem where it starts: eating sugary foods. Everyone likes a treat now and then, but when you and your kids do indulge, it’s extra important to remember a couple of things. • Don’t eat candies or sugary foods through out the day; the bacteria that cause decay feed on sugar, so it’s important to give your mouth a break. Jonathan E. Backer, D.D.S. Great dental health starts young! Family Dentistry 541-942-8437 New Patients Welcome 1551 E. Main St. • Brush your teeth with a dentist-recommended toothpaste after you’ve eaten a sugary snack or dessert. This does two things: it re mo ves any stuck food particles from the teeth and gums, and it helps the saliva return to a normal pH level that doesn’t favor tooth decay. Generally, it’s best to avoid eating sugary foods every day for your dental health and overall health. Opt for desserts that feature fresh or frozen fruits, nuts and low-sugar recipes. At snack time, choose fresh fruit or vegetables, nuts, cheese, whole-grain pro ducts or other low-sugar foods that don’t easily get stuck in the teeth. Plan an attack on sugary sodas, fruit drinks pastries and candies. Teaching your kids good dental habits is the best way to fi ght the Sugar Wars. Remind them to brush at least twice a day (once before going to bed), rinse after snacking, fl oss daily and choose low-sugar snacks. Douglas G. Maddess, DMD Brightening Lives One Smile at a Time Welcoming New Patients Call for an appointment today! 914 South 4th St. douglasgmaddessdmd.com Shane Parsons, DMD Brent Bitner, DDS New patients welcome Dentistry with Family in Mind 605 Jefferson Ave. • Cottage Grove C ALL U S T ODAY ! Please call for an appointment. Hours: Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm Emergency appts. available daily www.shaneparsonsd md.com 541.942.7934 541 350 E. W ASHINGTON A VENUE • C OTTAGE G ROVE 942-9171 WWW.CGSMILES.COM R