Floods, mudslides hammer coast

Corvallis saw record-setting rains and warm temperatures this week, but there wasn’t much local damage because there isn’t a snow pack to melt yet, said George Taylor, state climatologist.

“This is the third-wettest day that Corvallis has ever seen,” he said, referring to Monday.

It rained 3.5 inches at Hyslop Farm, the area’s official monitoring site. The previous record for the day was 2.36 inches in 1906.

A flood watch and warning were in effect for Benton County on Tuesday. Some Monroe-area roads had water over them, but no routes were closed, said Laurie Sparha, Benton County road maintenance manager.

Locally, the biggest problem seemed to be minor flooding from culverts and storm drains clogged with leaves knocked down by the wild weather. Perhaps it’s retribution from Mother Nature for a much-too-splendid October.

The Oregon coast wasn’t so lucky.

Gov. Ted Kulongoski declared an emergency for Tillamook County due to floods, and Highway 101 was closed due to standing water and a mudslide, Highway 53 due to a sunken grade, and Highway 6 had multiple mudslides.

A landslide 30 feet wide and 30 feet deep closed Highway 101 north of Florence at 7 a.m. Tuesday, though it was expected to reopen Tuesday night.

The Siletz River in Lincoln County was predicted to crest at 7 feet above flood stage, and waters closed Highway 229 about 10 miles north of Siletz. Highway 101 also was closed in Clatsop County.

The Alsea River near Tidewater in the Coast Range rose 10 feet from Monday to Tuesday and was predicted to spill over its banks, but to crest just below official flood stage.

Local rainfall records go back to 1889, and the all-time high for any day in Corvallis is 4.45 inches from Nov. 19, 1996.

Lee’s Camp in the northern Coast Range received 13.2 inches of rain on Monday, according to a preliminary report, which would be an all-time high for anywhere in Oregon over 24 hours.

“There are places on the south side of Mount St. Helens (in Washington) that are reporting an excess of 14 inches in 24 hours,” Taylor said.

The total rainfall for Corvallis so far this month is 8.16 inches. The average rainfall for November, the area’s second-wettest month, is 6.94 inches.

“Then again, we’re almost to the end of the month. We only have 23 days to go,” Taylor joked.

The high temperature at Hyslop Farm on Monday was 70 degrees, which tied the record for the day. The low was 60 degrees. “It was the warmest November night we’ve ever seen,” Taylor said.

The heavy rain led to a flood watch through Tuesday evening for Corvallis and the central Willamette Valley, along with other parts of northwest Oregon and southwest Washington.

A flood warning for urban areas and small rivers and streams in Benton County and northwest Oregon was issued from Monday afternoon to Tuesday afternoon.

Benton County dealt with downed trees from saturated soils in the Woods Creek area near Wren on Monday night, and then in North Albany near Springhill Road early Tuesday morning, Sparha said.

The weather conditions reminded Taylor of the flood in February 1996. “What’s going to save us here is there is no snow,” Taylor said. Snowmelt contributed greatly to the February 1996 flood.

The rain is predicted to subside tonight, but showers will continue Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service. Thursday will be cloudy, and the rain will return again on Friday, according to the forecast.

The Luckiamute River near Suver, north of Corvallis, is expected to crest just below bank full level Tuesday.

Kyle Odegard covers Benton County government, Philomath and rural Benton County. He can be contacted at kyle.odegard@lee.net or 758-9523.