City crews rally for flood response

ROSEBURG, Ore. – City crews continue cleanup and assessment after a significant storm on Sunday, March 16, hit Roseburg with record rainfall, periods of snow and widespread flooding that included record-high waters in Deer Creek.

On Sunday, the Roseburg Fire Department rescued people and animals, while the Public Works Department and Roseburg Police shut down flooded and damaged roads, monitored rising waterways and provided other assistance to protect the community and emergency responders during the storm. The Douglas County Board of Commissioners declared a State of Emergency for the entire county due to extreme conditions brought by the foul weather.

“Thank you to all City staff who worked hard and went above and beyond to help our community during the storm,” said City Manager Nikki Messenger. “I’d also like to thank all of our community partners who assisted with critical support.”

After Roseburg Regional Airport received a record 3.47 inches of precipitation on Sunday, National Weather Service meteorologists confirmed Deer Creek, running through downtown and emptying into the South Umpqua River, crested at a record 15.93 feet at 3:45 p.m., reported News Radio 93-9 FM and 1240 KQEN News Director Kyle Bailey.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration earlier reported the creek rose to 15.91 feet, which is considered major flood level. The South Umpqua River and Newton and Parrott creeks also flooded in Roseburg. That 3.47 inches is the new record for a single day of rain in March. The previous record of 2.29 inches was set March 12, 2012.

The Fire Department rescued 23 trapped residents, plus 10 dogs and 2 cats. Most were trapped by floodwaters that had completely surrounded their homes and prevented their escape from any side of their home, said Roseburg Fire Department Staff Assistant Amy Rice.

There appeared to be at least two landslides – one behind Sportsman’s Warehouse, 2122 NW Stewart Parkway, and one off Troost Street next to the Oregon Department of Justice Child Support Center, 2440 NW Troost St., she said.

Snow in various amounts also fell during the storm. Some areas of the city encountered snow alternating with rain or mixed with rain. Half an inch of snow reportedly accumulated at higher elevations such as Rocky Ridge, while other areas just outside Roseburg encountered two to three hours of snow with an estimated 1” to 2” of accumulation.

RFD personnel worked with assistance from Roseburg Public Works, Roseburg Police, and Central Douglas County Fire & Rescue, which supplied swift water rescue experts from its Technical Rescue Team, as well as boats to reach people stranded by rising waters, RFD reported. Four additional fire personnel, including an extra Battalion Chief, were called in, so Roseburg Fire had four engine companies responding to emergency calls.

Public Works crews, who are always on-call for emergencies, began working at 7 a.m. Sunday setting out road closure signs and supplying a “self-filling” sandbag station at the Roseburg Parks Maintenance Shop, 1802 NW Stewart Park Drive, said Public Works Director Ryan Herinckx.

On Sunday, at least 22 streets were closed throughout Roseburg. Stewart Parkway, a major arterial road, closed after Newton Creek flooded onto the roadway. As of Wednesday, March 19, parts of Eddy, Kane and Giles streets remained closed from Marsters Avenue to Booth Avenue after a raging Parrott Creek washed road materials away, he said.

During the storm, Public Works crews set out sandbags and shovels. About 3,500 sandbags were given out. Residents who filled their own sandbags went through about 20 cubic yards of sand. Public Works put out 2,000 sandbags the City had on hand plus another 1,500 borrowed from another agency after the City ran out.

Unfortunately, some people grabbed handfuls of empty sandbags and took those with them. The City asks residents not to take any sandbags that they haven’t filled with sand.

“That station is set up for emergency use, and people that need those supplies,” Herinckx said.

Some cars parked on streets were at least partly submerged underwater, and other cars that failed to stop and turn around when encountering high water in roadways sent waves of water into other people’s garages, he added.

One of Sunday’s biggest challenges was traffic and people disobeying barricades and road-closure signs, reports the Roseburg Fire Department.

Fire Chief Tyler Christopherson urged residents to avoid walking or driving through floodwater, even on a roadway. Remember that high water can hide the fact that a roadway was damaged or deteriorated by flooding.

“Do not underestimate the force and power of moving water. Six inches of fast moving water can knock over an adult, and 12 inches can carry away small cars,” Christopherson said.

“Floodwaters can be unpredictable, and what may appear to be a shallow area could be hiding strong currents, debris or road damage that could cause yourself or your vehicle to get stuck or swept away,” he said. “Remember to follow all road closure signs and never drive or walk around barriers.”

When Deer Creek overflowed its banks Sunday, floodwaters flowed into Roseburg Public Library’s basement – which is actually OK, because the building, which sits just above the creek, was constructed to withstand flooding and contains vents to allow floodwater into the basement.

Public Works also assisted emergency responders by monitoring roads and waterways. Public Works spotted some people in trouble and notified Roseburg Fire Department. Rotating Public Works crews worked into the night, checking on areas and removing road closures where possible. A Public Works street sweeper hit the road at 4 a.m. Monday to begin clean-up after Sunday’s storm.

Since Sunday, Public Works crews have been working throughout the community to assess storm damage and determine priorities.

As of Wednesday, March 19, some parks still remained closed due to impacts from the storm. Templin Beach Park and its Happy Tails Dog Park are closed after suffering severe damage from flooding by the South Umpqua River. The dog park will be closed at least temporarily after all of its fencing was destroyed and the flood left water and debris throughout Templin Park. Parks staff will consider options for reopening the dog park at a time still to be determined.

Parrott Creek Park also remained closed Wednesday. A small section of paved multiuse path between the dog park and Micelli Park is closed due to a downed tree. The Roseburg Sister Cities Friendship Garden path is closed behind the library.

Crews are cleaning debris from parks that were flooded and continue assessing conditions and damage. The Stewart Park band platform, aka the “Half Shell,” had been underwater Sunday, but the high water had receded by Monday. The Stewart Park Natural Area, aka the duck pond, had flooded, with water covering the footpaths. Water also flooded the Stewart Park Golf Course driving range, which is supposed to flood as part of the water containment system, Herinckx said. The Umpqua Valley Tennis Center was surrounded by water, but sustained no damage, the center confirmed.

The “bike jumps” area of Gaddis Park also had been underwater, but the Umpqua Greenway, aka “the Point,” did not flood Sunday. The Umpqua River Trail between Gaddis Park and the Umpqua Greenway reopened Tuesday.

Roseburg Fire officials thanked City and community partners for collaborating as a team during the storm.

“The Roseburg Fire Department extends their deepest thanks to the Public Works team for their tireless assistance throughout the entire weather event,” the Roseburg Fire Department shared.

“The Roseburg Fire Department would also like to express their gratitude to Central Douglas County Fire & Rescue for their invaluable help, supplying both personnel from their Swift Water Rescue team and the necessary boats to reach those stranded by the rising waters,” RFD shared. “Additionally, the Roseburg Police Department provided critical support throughout the city, ensuring the safety of both residents and responders.”

“The teamwork and coordination of all involved helped save lives and mitigate the impact of this intense weather event,” said RFD.

Messenger and the Fire Department also expressed gratitude to the Roseburg School District for opening Joseph Lane Middle School as a temporary shelter for evacuees until 7 p.m. Sunday and to Douglas County Emergency Manager Emily Ring and her team for their support.

“Their quick response and unwavering commitment ensured that our community was well-supported during a challenging time,” RFD shared.

The Oregon Department of Emergency Management activated the State Emergency Coordination Center to Level 3 on Monday, March 17. On Tuesday, March 18, Gov. Tina Kotek declared a state of emergency in Southern Oregon due to flooding and landslides.

Residents can check weather forecasts from the National Weather Service: https://www.weather.gov/

Learn how to stay safe when water rises from the Oregon Department of Emergency Management: https://apps.oregon.gov/oregon-newsroom/OR/OEM/Posts/Post/as-the-water-rises.

Stay informed about current conditions and flood forecasts with State of Oregon Flood Dashboard: https://shorturl.at/1cLf1.

Sign up for Douglas County Alerts: dcso.com/alerts.