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A storm expected to ease by this evening raised rivers, blew debris over roads and caused power outages in Douglas County today.
Elk Creek at Drain was expected to flood today, possibly spilling onto city streets, and causing the North Douglas School District to close schools at midday. Evening school activities were canceled.
A sinkhole between Scottsburg Park and Loon Lake Road east of Reedsport was expected to close Highway 38 until Friday. Drivers were advised to use Highway 42 as an alternate route between Interstate 5 and Highway 101.
“The water is rising,” Oregon Department of Transportation spokesman Jared Castle said this morning. “What we've learned last night is how much water and debris does it take to close down 38.”
Limbs, dirt and other debris sliding into the roadside culverts caused water to rise and cover the highway 11 miles east of Reedsport. The road was closed around midnight, Castle said.
Drivers on Highway 138 east of Glide also experienced delays this morning because of landslides.
The highway was not closed, but occasional delays were caused by cleanup crews.
Douglas County public works crews were cleaning up mudslides on several roads, Public Works Director Robb Paul said.
Slides were reported on Upper Smith River Road between Drain and Reedsport, on the Highway 99 curves between Drain and Yoncalla, and on Hancock Mountain Road between Drain and Elkton.
“There's so much water in the ground right now, the ground has reached its saturation point,” Castle said. “When the water hits the ground it's like hitting asphalt.”
Heavy rain and wind were most extreme on the coast and in the coastal range, National Weather Service meteorologist Ryan Sandler said. Wind gusts reached 63 mph at Signal Tree on Highway 42 at Camas Valley. Six inches of rain was recorded at Charlotte Ridge near the Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area east of Reedsport. About 2 inches of rain was recorded in Roseburg over the past 24 hours.
Pass Creek near Drain was flooding low-lying farmland early this morning, and high waters were expected to flow into Elk Creek, causing minor flooding in Drain between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. today, according to weather service hydrologist Spencer Higginson.
River waters rose throughout the county Wednesday and today, but most were not expected to reach flood stage.
Sandler said the Umpqua River near Elkton was projected to rise 15 feet to a total of 26 feet today by 8 p.m., bringing it to what weather officials call “action stage” but still below flood stage.
A dramatic rise was seen in the South Umpqua River near Tiller, where the river rose 10 feet between 3 p.m. Wednesday and 8 a.m. today. The North Umpqua River near Winchester experienced a similar rise, swelling from 3 feet at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday to 15 feet by 8 a.m. today. The rivers at Tiller and Winchester are expected to remain below levels that would prompt concern.
“That river is violent,” said Winchester resident Marilyn Malay, who observed the North Umpqua near her home this morning. She said she has only seen the river this high a couple of times in the 15 years she has lived there. “Wow, it's frightening, it's so high.”
River levels are expected to drop as the heavy rains end and lighter rain moves into the region this afternoon, Sandler said.
About 400 Douglas Electric Cooperative customers lost power this morning in the Schofield Road, Deans Creek, Brandy Bar, Butler Creek and North Tenmile Lake areas. It was expected to be restored between 2 and 3 p.m. today.
About 300 homes were without power in the Reedsport area Wednesday. The outages were caused by fallen trees and tree limbs.
About a dozen Pacific Power customers experienced outages scattered throughout the county, utility spokesman Monte Mendenhall said. In Toketee, 179 customers lost power for five minutes at 7:59 a.m. today due to the storm.
The storm system was brought to Oregon by what meteorologists call the Pineapple Express — warm air traveling from the waters off Hawaii to the Oregon Coast.
Light rain is forecast for the remainder of the week.
For road conditions call 511 or 1-800-977-6386 or see TripCheck.com. The transportation department asks that drivers who encounter hazardous conditions such as debris or water on the road contact its hotline at 541-858-3103.
• Reporter Carisa Cegavske at 541-957-4213 or ccegavske@nrtoday.com.
Elk Creek at Drain was expected to flood today, possibly spilling onto city streets, and causing the North Douglas School District to close schools at midday. Evening school activities were canceled.
A sinkhole between Scottsburg Park and Loon Lake Road east of Reedsport was expected to close Highway 38 until Friday. Drivers were advised to use Highway 42 as an alternate route between Interstate 5 and Highway 101.
“The water is rising,” Oregon Department of Transportation spokesman Jared Castle said this morning. “What we've learned last night is how much water and debris does it take to close down 38.”
Limbs, dirt and other debris sliding into the roadside culverts caused water to rise and cover the highway 11 miles east of Reedsport. The road was closed around midnight, Castle said.
Drivers on Highway 138 east of Glide also experienced delays this morning because of landslides.
The highway was not closed, but occasional delays were caused by cleanup crews.
Douglas County public works crews were cleaning up mudslides on several roads, Public Works Director Robb Paul said.
Slides were reported on Upper Smith River Road between Drain and Reedsport, on the Highway 99 curves between Drain and Yoncalla, and on Hancock Mountain Road between Drain and Elkton.
“There's so much water in the ground right now, the ground has reached its saturation point,” Castle said. “When the water hits the ground it's like hitting asphalt.”
Heavy rain and wind were most extreme on the coast and in the coastal range, National Weather Service meteorologist Ryan Sandler said. Wind gusts reached 63 mph at Signal Tree on Highway 42 at Camas Valley. Six inches of rain was recorded at Charlotte Ridge near the Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area east of Reedsport. About 2 inches of rain was recorded in Roseburg over the past 24 hours.
Pass Creek near Drain was flooding low-lying farmland early this morning, and high waters were expected to flow into Elk Creek, causing minor flooding in Drain between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. today, according to weather service hydrologist Spencer Higginson.
River waters rose throughout the county Wednesday and today, but most were not expected to reach flood stage.
Sandler said the Umpqua River near Elkton was projected to rise 15 feet to a total of 26 feet today by 8 p.m., bringing it to what weather officials call “action stage” but still below flood stage.
A dramatic rise was seen in the South Umpqua River near Tiller, where the river rose 10 feet between 3 p.m. Wednesday and 8 a.m. today. The North Umpqua River near Winchester experienced a similar rise, swelling from 3 feet at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday to 15 feet by 8 a.m. today. The rivers at Tiller and Winchester are expected to remain below levels that would prompt concern.
“That river is violent,” said Winchester resident Marilyn Malay, who observed the North Umpqua near her home this morning. She said she has only seen the river this high a couple of times in the 15 years she has lived there. “Wow, it's frightening, it's so high.”
River levels are expected to drop as the heavy rains end and lighter rain moves into the region this afternoon, Sandler said.
About 400 Douglas Electric Cooperative customers lost power this morning in the Schofield Road, Deans Creek, Brandy Bar, Butler Creek and North Tenmile Lake areas. It was expected to be restored between 2 and 3 p.m. today.
About 300 homes were without power in the Reedsport area Wednesday. The outages were caused by fallen trees and tree limbs.
About a dozen Pacific Power customers experienced outages scattered throughout the county, utility spokesman Monte Mendenhall said. In Toketee, 179 customers lost power for five minutes at 7:59 a.m. today due to the storm.
The storm system was brought to Oregon by what meteorologists call the Pineapple Express — warm air traveling from the waters off Hawaii to the Oregon Coast.
Light rain is forecast for the remainder of the week.
For road conditions call 511 or 1-800-977-6386 or see TripCheck.com. The transportation department asks that drivers who encounter hazardous conditions such as debris or water on the road contact its hotline at 541-858-3103.
• Reporter Carisa Cegavske at 541-957-4213 or ccegavske@nrtoday.com.
