Wind fells trees, rain covers C. Oregon roads

Rainy and windy weather moved across the state of Oregon on Tuesday, including the High Desert, where Bend saw roads covered with water and lake-sized puddles emerge.

Most cars and trucks took it slow as they maneuvered through the deep water. But as the afternoon wore on, the puddles cleared up, thanks in large part to six city vacuum trucks.

The trucks, along with 12 crew members, spent the day responding to calls around town and suctioning up 75,000 gallons of water, officials said.

But where does all that excess water go? According to Troy Beck, the repair and replacement supervisor with Bend’s utility department, it goes where it should go.

“The water’s conveyed with the trucks to the local neighborhood areas in the bioswales, where the water would naturally go,” Beck said. “We just kind of shuttle it over the top of the ground there, so we can have a chance to come back and clean the catch basins of debris and get them working again.”

Officials say they were prepared for this storm and actually had some older trucks ready to be sent to auction, but pulled them off the auction list Friday so they could help clear the water.

Crews likely will work late to make sure no problems occur during the evening rush hour.

And the usual spots are being monitored, such as the Franklin Avenue underpass.

But lots of people braved the slippery streets and big puddles, not only driving around town,
but even walking in the rain, including Cory Weyrick.

“I think it’s a good thing we’re getting some precipitation. I’d prefer to see snow in town, but if we’re getting a little bit of rain, any precipitation is good,” Weyrick said.

But that’s not all the storm dealt to Central Oregon.

In Redmond, homeowner Mark Boltz said he knew wind and rain was coming.

But what he wasn’t ready for, was a tree just barely missing hitting his home around 7 a.m.

“Oh yeah, the wind was howling — it was really blowing, everything was sounding, good, normal stuff,” Boltz said. “I knew the trees were swaying, I could hear them or see them. I wasn’t expecting that though.”

The tree that fell was about 70 years old, but fortunately it only brushed the corner of his home and caused no major damage.