A redwood, planted by Mike Bellamy when he was 6 years old, soars upward. They held on to the vacant property along the Rogue until 2006, 24 years after Skeets passed away and a year after they lost Bobbie. Personal stories of the damage and scope of the devastating flood in part 1 of the Clackamas County 1964 Christmas Flood Documentary. Quiz: Can you pass a European history test. This historic event didn’t actually occur on just one day. Areas of severe flooding from December 1964 and January 1965, which encompassed about 200,000 square miles, resulted in 47 deaths, left thousands homeless and caused more than $540 million ($3.9 billion today) worth of damage. Click to Read More The 9 Most Horrifying Disasters That Ever Happened In Oregon. “Mud and slime, the consistency and color of thick, chocolate syrup, and tons of silt loaded with debris of every imaginable description spells out the aftermath . Perhaps that was the scene described by Mary Lou Wood, Galice correspondent for the Courier. Photos of the December 1964 flood, which peaked at 152,000 cfs, show downtown rooftops peeking out from under floodwaters. However, in many areas storage in reservoirs and operation of flood-control facilities prevented far greater damage. The Christmas flood of 1964 was driven by a series of storms, known as atmospheric rivers or “pineapple expresses,” that battered the region producing as much as 15 inches of rain in 24 hours at some locations. The flood of June 1894 was one of the worst such high-water events of the nineteenth century in Oregon. (On today’s gauge the flood crest would be 35.15). The Christmas flood of 1964 was driven by a series of storms, known as atmospheric rivers or “pineapple expresses,” that battered the region producing as much as 15 inches of rain in 24 hours at some locations. “Changes at a gage upstream of our dam tells us how much more water is flowing into the reservoir. Woke teachers want Shakespeare cut from curriculum: 'This is about White supremacy' Rain falling on snow was to blame for the third highest flood since records were first kept for Johnson Creek in the 1940s. Wiped out by the flood, the Bellamy family moved to West Evans Creek Road. “I tell people here, you don’t know what rural America is like,” Dan Bellamy said. It was 10 feet lower. “Jan had a friend out for the weekend, and the flood hit. That year, floodwaters inundated agricultural land, eroding soils, killing livestock, and damaging farm buildings. Quiz: US Citizenship Test - Could You Pass? My father-in-law picked up the phone, made a phone call, they came down and opened the store and gave me clothes on credit.”. The flood caused record-breaking peak streamflows, transported large amounts of sediment, and inflicted extensive flood damage. For many basins in Oregon, the flood peaks during this winter event remain the record. They just moved everything upstairs, said Mike Bellamy, now 60, of Grants Pass. “If a control point spikes, decisions are made that specifically address the needs of a population area. by News Staff. Monday, December 22nd 2014. The Willamette River at Wilsonville Bridge, Oregon, December 1964. Early Wednesday morning, Dec. 23, 1964, as the river crested, a large tree smacked into the Bellamy home and obliterated most of it. Calvin Shultz lives atop Weymouth Bluff on the land his great-grandparents Carl and Mary Briceland retired to just months before the 1964 flood. No … Rising Flood Waters: 1964 Corvallis 59; Institution. The Heppner Flood of 1903, the Christmas Flood of 1964 — these and many other floods are part of our disaster lore. Associated Press Snippets of it are on the Daily Courier’s website. At its peak, water hit the top of the downtown waterfront’s seawall. Luckily they were not in it. “We lost everything we had. “In addition to the rain, there were already several inches of water from the melting snow, so it was a big runoff event across a wide area.”. Home movie footage of the Willamette River flood on Christmas Day 1964 in Portland, Oregon, taken by my dad. From Foothill Boulevard, the view is down to the flooded railroad tracks and devastated Fielder Lane. John Harlow and his heirs. Utah GOP rejects Mitt Romney censure: 'There is power in our differences'. Agencies from federal, state and local governments will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Pacific Northwest 1964 Christmas flood starting Dec. 10. Monday, December 22, 2014, Listen to the Front Page Podcast with George Gerbo, Detroit officials offer explanation on white van claim by ‘Stop the Steal’ advocates. 1960-1969 1 Browse Items ; This collection features 59 oblique photographs flown by Western Ways, Inc. on December 23, 1964. The Flood of 1964. Ray Slusser said his wife, Jan, was in her early teens living on Merlin-Galice Road, on the property they live on now, and got stranded by the flood. The USGS partners with local communities to assist in the development and validation of flood inundation map libraries. Family members lit fireworks on July 4, jumped into the lake that formed behind Savage Rapids Dam in the summer, and water skied. This 100-year flood event caused an estimated $71 million in damages, with especially heavy agricultural losses to crops, livestock, and soil erosion. Flooding on the Rogue River, Oregon, December 1964. “Trees would hit the Seventh Street bridge and go under, then pop up between the bridges, then hit the side of Caveman Bridge and shatter,” Momsen recalled. 1964 Press Photo Willamette River flood waters surround Salem, Oregon homes This is an original press photo. Cracker Barrel falls prey to the systemic false labeling of racism The floods of December 1964 and January 1965 in the Far Western States were extreme; in many areas, the greatest in the history of recorded streamflow and substantially greater than those of December 1955. The monster flood came about like most of the Rogue floods over the years, the double whammy of heavy rain on top of significant melting snow. We got some presents out.”. “Her dad figured they could walk to Merlin. They were running out of supplies, and water was still up over the road,” Slusser recalled. The Flood of 1964. Mike took his family down by the river for a good time. “They felt like something wasn’t right. He stayed with his girlfriend’s family. Only the floods of November 1996 and January 2009 were higher. In 1906, Lou and Laura Harlow, who would later live in the Harlow House (the home, a few blocks north, is now a Troutdale Historical Society Museum) sold the six-acre site to the Willamette Valley Advent Christian Conference for $400. Published: Mon, December 22, 2014 6:23 PM Updated: Mon, December 22, 2014 6:23 PM. The front page of the Friday Dec. 18, 1964, Democrat-Herald shows children and college students frolicking in the snow and cold. During this holiday season, the 1964 Christmas flood reminds us that flooding is a national problem and can happen anytime, anywhere. Major flooding was widespread. GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) - It’s a vacant lot now, with almost nothing left but an aging concrete slab and septic cap. email. Biden ‘in a real bind with the radical left’ over push to tear down border wall, ‘Dramatic success’: Trump’s foes see victory despite Senate acquittal, Pocket rockets: reliable .380 pistols for concealed carry, White House warns WHO not to be influenced by China on virus origin probe, Doctor: “Doing This Every Morning Can Snap Back Sagging Skin (No Creams Needed)”, Lawyer says his home, family ‘under siege’ as retaliation for representing Trump in trial, White House spokesman TJ Ducklo resigns after threatening reporter. A tsunami struck the Oregon coast on Friday evening, March 27, 1964 following the great Alaskan earthquake, the second largest earthquake ever recorded and largest ever recorded in North America. Photograph courtesy of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. “Years later you look for things you had, and you know they went down the river,” Skeets Bellamy said in a 1984 Daily Courier article. An unusually large area--Oregon, most of Idaho, northern California, southern Washington, and small areas in western and northern Nevada--was involved. and View Comments, Terms of Use / Privacy Policy / Manage Newsletters, Cheryl Chumley on The Battle for America’s Soul, - Archival U.S. Geological Survey photograph. According to the National Weather Service, over the past 30 years, nationwide annual flood damages averaged $8.2 billion with 89 fatalities per year. But nothing prepared them for what unfolded two years later when the Rogue River went on a rampage, swollen with record rainfall and melting snow. Seven GOP senators who voted to convict Trump explain their decision, ‘If only McConnell was so righteous’: Donald Trump Jr. rips top Senate Republican, Rags to riches: Stars who were once homeless, Audit finds DHS wastes millions on unused detention beds, Gina Carano, Ben Shapiro announce new movie project: ‘They can’t cancel us if we don’t let them’. The USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Program focuses its efforts at state and local levels to help communities understand flood risks and make cost-effective mitigation decisions. Office of Communications and Publishing12201 Sunrise Valley DriveReston, VA 20192United StatesPhone: 703-648-4460. Daily Courier reporter Ruth Rausch’s house on Rogue River Highway was flooded, marooning her. Copyright © 2021 The Washington Times, LLC. “Oh my goodness, the power behind all that water going through such a narrow place,” she said. Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), Mapping, Remote Sensing, and Geospatial Data, federal, state and local governments will commemorate, atmospheric rivers or “pineapple expresses, Hydrologic Information Center – Flood Loss Data, U.S. Geological Survey Flood Inundation Mapping Science. 1964 Christmas Flood Glenn Otto Community Park was originally owned by the town's founding family, Capt. On December 22, 1964, Johnson Creek in southeast Portland crested at 14.68 feet, over three feet above flood stage. A A. Parts of the Steel Bridge were underwater, and the Hawthorne Bridge was severely damaged … Numerous landslides added to the damage and impacts. It affected every river in western Oregon and northwestern California. They started walking, and they made it up to their armpits.”. “My goodness, we saw houses go by and all kinds of things,” said the 81-year-old Slagle, during an interview earlier this week. Dec 26, 2014 - Official website for U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE The morning of Dec. 23, Margaret Slagle of Grants Pass loaded up her four children and an 8-millimeter movie camera to record the event. “Dr. It was not catastrophic. That’s when we need to decide how best to protect the region.”. Two houses slammed into the bridge and were pinned against it. The combination of heavy rain, melting snow, and frozen ground caused extreme runoff, erosion and flooding. Areas in Oregon, Idaho, California, Washington and Nevada experienced record-breaking floods caused by three storms between Dec. 19 and Jan. 31. 14. Early Wednesday morning, Dec. 23, 1964, as the river crested, a large tree smacked into the Bellamy home and obliterated most of it. This is Universal Newsreel coverage of the flood from December 28 … Overwhelmed Border Patrol fears ‘mass migration’ under Biden’s catch-and-release policy, ‘McCarthyism from the left’: Police forces reject claims White supremacists prevalent in ranks, Cracker Barrel falls prey to the systemic false labeling of racism, Woke teachers want Shakespeare cut from curriculum: 'This is about White supremacy', Utah GOP rejects Mitt Romney censure: 'There is power in our differences', Trump ‘ready to move on,’ rebuild GOP to retake Congress, Republicans say, Restaurateurs fear Biden’s relief package that would double wages for tipped workers this year. TOP STORIES December 2014 marks the 50th anniversary of the Christmas Flood of 1964, which caused $157 million in damage ($1.1 billion in today's dollars), and as a result, 17 Oregonians lost their lives. 1964 Christmas Floods left a mark on Oregon. Now known as The 1964 Christmas Flood, it destroyed roads, homes and businesses and took at least 17 lives. The Christmas flood of 1964 encompassed about 200,000 square miles, or roughly the size of France, resulted in 47 deaths, left thousands homeless and caused more than $540 million ($3.9 billion today) worth of damage. The combination of heavy rain, melting snow, and frozen ground caused extreme runoff, erosion and flooding. “USGS streamgages are vital for flood risk management,” said Mary Karen Scullion a Willamette Valley reservoir regulator with the Army Corps of Engineers in Portland. Farther upstream, the flood wiped out the highway bridge at Shady Cove and damaged Dodge Bridge on the east edge of Sams Valley. The only larger ones in modern times had struck in the 19th century. He and Robin have now been married for nearly 50 years and live in Long Beach, California. It’s where Skeets and Bobbie Bellamy and their three sons lived on Fielder Lane, after escaping the Los Angeles traffic in 1959. 50th Anniversary of Oregon Christmas Flood of 1964. by Associated Press. Refrigerators, ranges, cabinets, gas tanks, houses, trees, logs, barrels, barrels and more barrels all at crazy angles, raced before the angry waters at dizzying speeds.”. Gilmore’s house trailer and utility building on the river side of the road near Hog Creek were swept out into the river and smashed to pieces as they went into Hellgate Canyon.”. - 1964 Press Photo Crown Zellerbach Paper Plant at Willamette River Flood, Oregon This is an original press photo. News about an earthquake hitting the Pacific Northwest so powerful that it “will destroy a sizable portion of the coastal Northwest,” according to a doomsday report that is to be published in the July 20 edition of The New Yorker (it’s already posted online).