City of Roseburg hard at work after major flooding

Roseburg, Or. — City crews were hard at work responding to flooding yesterday after a significant storm hit Roseburg with record rainfall, periods of snow and widespread flooding that included record-high waters in Deer Creek.

National Weather Service forecasters 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., reports KQEN. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration had earlier reported the creek rising to 15.91 feet, which is considered major flood level.

The South Umpqua River and Newton Creek also flooded. The South Umpqua River experienced flooding.

The Roseburg Fire Department rescued people and animals, while the Public Works Department and Roseburg Police shut down flooded roads and monitored rising waterways.

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.

Fire personnel also responded to at least two landslides – one behind Sportsman’s Warehouse at 2122 NW Stewart Parkway and another off Troost street next to the Oregon Department of Justice Child Support Center at 2440 NW Troost St.

Snow in various amounts also fell during the storm. Some areas of the city encountered snow alternating with rain, or snow along with snow mixed with rain and reports of half an inch accumulation at higher elevations such as Rocky Ridge, while others 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.

Public Works crews set out sandbags and shovels and 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 running out.

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

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

There were at least 22 street closures throughout Roseburg. Stewart Parkway, a major arterial road, closed after Newton Creek flooded onto the roadway.

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 ended up sending waves of water into other people’s garages, Herinckx said.

One of the biggest challenges Sunday was traffic and people disobeying barricades and road-closure signs.

Fire Chief Christopherson urged motorists to avoid 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 added. “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.

The Stewart Park Natural Area, aka the duck pond, 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 Stewart Park band platform, aka the “Half Shell,” is expected to be underwater for several more days. The “bike jumps” area of Gaddis Park was underwater, but the Umpqua Greenway, aka “the Point,” was not, Herinckx said.

A Public Works street sweeper hit the road at 4 a.m. Monday to begin clean-up after Sunday’s storm. Crews continue assessing conditions and damage today.

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,” RFD shared in a Facebook post.

“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,” the post said. “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,” according to the post.

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/…/Posts/Post/as-the-water-rises