Katrina sparks memories of local flood
Sunday, September 4, 2005 1:32 AM PDT
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| Argus Observer file photo
Local residents and emergency services personnel faced a local disaster Jan. 1, 1997 when a warm front sparked widespread flooding in Payette and Washington counties. |
Julie Engel and Andrew Cutler
Argus Observer
Payette
Most of us think we're invincible.
Some in New Orleans had been through hurricanes before and ignored the evacuation request. Payette residents did not have a request to ignore when flood waters ravaged their homes and businesses in 1997.
On New Year's Day 1997 Payette River levees busted and began flooding the area. Water spilled over Lettunich's Farm onto U.S. Highway 95, traveled to Albertson's parking lot and ran back into the river next to the park.
It was too late for business owners to save their inventory as boards from Sav-On, washers from Butler Furniture and dumpsters floated down the highway.
Larry and Trula Butler lost all of their furniture in the flood, and were forced to crawl out the window into the ice-cold water to safety.
A bulldozer had to be used to lift a twin bed soaked with water during clean-up after flood waters receded.
"I feel sorry for those people (in New Orleans)," Trula Butler said. "We lost the business, but at least we could go home."
Rob Turnboo said he did not realize there was a flood until he went to work at May Trucking and found a foot of water. Turnboo said his experience was exciting because the National Guard rescued him from the second story of the building.
"I think it was gophers that weakened the levees, they do a lot of my ditches at home," Turnboo said.
Former Payette County Sheriff Bob Barowsky has been Payette's civil defense director for six years and was involved with the flood of 1997. Payette's property damage exceeded $10 million, but no lives were lost. Barowsky said spillover from the Black Canyon Dam created flood conditions in the Payette River. Now his department is better prepared through open lines of communication with the Black Canyon Dam, outside of Emmett, and aerial map technology to mobilize rescue efforts quicker. The flood traced its origins to a warm front that descended on Payette and Washington counties Jan. 1, delivering heavy rains and 61 degree temperatures. The 15 inches of snowfall in the mountains began to melt and pour down into the valleys below. Other areas affected by the floods were Midvale, Cambridge, Council and Weiser.
Washington County disaster coordinator Steve Domby said he was caught off guard that New Year's Day when the flooding caused mud slides, washed out U.S. Highway 95 and destroyed five bridges. The flooding shut down the highway, the only connector to the northern communities affected by the flood waters. Domby said he was proud of his emergency team because no lives were lost.
"Disaster is a thing that can happen anywhere at anytime when we let our guard down," Domby said.
Payette County Sheriff Chad Huff said he believes lessons were learned from the 1996 floods.
"I feel confident we are prepared if something like that should ever occur again," Huff said. "We have memorandums of understanding with Malheur County and Washington County, along the same lines of the High Desert Task Force. We can utilize their equipment and manpower in cases of emergency. We would do the same for them."
Huff said he was in training with the Idaho State Police during the floods, but still had a home in Fruitland. He said he remembers just how devastating that incident was to residents and businesses in the area.
"It was devastating to the county and to the people that lived in the flood zone areas," Huff said. "The photos and what I remember remind me of a small version of what's going on in New Orleans."
Malheur County Sheriff's Office Lt. Craig Smith said he thinks all of the necessary pieces are in place to handle a similar incident in Malheur County.
"The risk for hurricanes in Malheur County is pretty low," Smith, who is the Malheur County Emergency Services Coordinator, said. "But we have plans in place for things more likely to occur in Malheur County."
Smith said the county is prepared for earthquakes, floods, fires, winter storms, mass casualties and acts of terrorism. The county had a chance to put some of its Emergency Operations Plans to the test, Smith said, last month during the Double Mountain Fire near Vale.
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