PORTLAND, ORE. – A confluence of forces – early spring snowmelt, rogue rodent holes, and a compromised levee – brought forth a deluge that escalated into an intense, ongoing flood fight in March in the high desert town of Burns, Oregon.
Burns, with a population of 2,730, had watched weeks of seasonal rain combine with an above-normal snowpack, which caused the Silvies River to swell beyond its banks and test the integrity of Burns’ levees.
On March 14, Harney County officials declared a state of emergency as the situation deteriorated: The rising waters and continued precipitation had caused the town to exhaust its resources. Sewage systems began to back up and the pumps – donated by neighboring cities and counties - were not enough as the Silvies River approached the top of the levee.
They knew that if the levee was overtopped, it would cause catastrophic flooding to the town.
What they didn’t know was that rodent holes had weakened the levee – and on March 17, water began to seep through the holes allowing Silvies River water to flow into the small town.
Local crews scrambled to lay down sandbags to hold back the river while the state of Oregon worked to include Harney County in its declaration of a state of emergency.
The state of Oregon called for help: Under Public Law 84-99, the Corps of Engineers is authorized to provide assistance for flood control and emergency flood protection.
The Corps of Engineers’ local district, the Portland District, sent four members – geotechnical experts and civil and hydraulic engineers. The team met with the mayor and local officials to determine how and what they could do to help.
“The Portland District can assist communities with engineering expertise during disasters, such as a flood,” said Linda Leighow. “We can provide a wide range of technical assistance, to include on the spot flood fight training, such as proper sandbag filling and placement.”
The nearby Burns Paiute Tribe was also facing significant flooding and requested sandbags: The Corps and the state of Oregon quickly delivered 6,000 sandbags on March 21.
Local city and county teams worked to repair and stabilize the levee, and the Corps of Engineers’ expert team assessed the levee’s integrity after the patch. The on-hand pumps in the city succeeded in lowering water levels.
For a moment, it seemed the crisis had been averted.
But the respite was short-lived. Fueled by relentless rain and accelerating snowmelt, the Silvies River again posed a potential threat.
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek again declared a state of emergency for Harney County and the Burns Paiute Reservation.
On March 28, the county asked the Portland District for technical assistance. The Portland District coordinated a multi-agency response to meet the request for 15,000 sandbags - 5,000 sandbags were provided by Portland’s sister district, Walla Walla District. Another sister district, the Seattle District, stepped in to provide a diesel pump to the Burns Paiute Tribe as they also battled flood waters.
The next day, three engineers from the Portland District arrived in Burns to assess the damage and provide technical expertise. The engineers found the levee overtopped – water continued to flood Burns.
On March 30, the city/county requested an additional 37,500 sandbags and the tribe requested an additional 5000. Crews from Oregon’s Department of Corrections picked up sandbags from the Corps of Engineers and delivered them to the city.
The team of federal engineers made recommendations on materials needed for levee reinforcement as snowmelt continues into the spring.
The engineers also worked on determining where the water would go when repairs are made to the existing levees, as well as where water may go if the snow melt and rainy weather continues to threaten the city of Burns and the surrounding areas.
The Corps of Engineers is also assisting the city, county and state with inundation mapping, which will help with future evacuation planning.
“At the Corps of Engineers, our mission is clear—when a flooding disaster strikes, we're available to help communities,” said Lt. Col. David Weart. “We’re committed to seeing Burns through this.”
To date, the Portland District has delivered more than 90,000 bags to the town of Burns and the Burns Paiute Reservation. With warming weather accelerating the snowmelt, the future remains uncertain, but the community of Burns and the tribe with the help of state and federal partners, continues its flood fight.