Update: Deschutes ice breaking up, water levels fall

The ice-filled Deschutes River that has flooded yards and threatened homes in Bend continues to drop, easing flood concerns for adjacent homeowners, city officials said Saturday.

A check of the gauges Saturday morning found river levels had dropped about a foot since Friday afternoon, said Anne Aurand, community relations manager.

“We are monitoring how the ice breaks up now,” Aurand said, adding that they “are still emphasizing the need for people and pets to stay off the river ice, which is unstable.”

Aurand said Sunday that city staff checked the gauges Saturday night and the water levels were still receding.

“We have moved from watching water levels to watching ice break up today,” she said. “Lots of break up, and so far so good.”

“It appears the level of the Deschutes River between Colorado Ave and Galveston Ave (has) stabilized and remained constant since about 1 p.m.” Thursday, according to Friday’s update on the Deschutes County County Emergency Information blog.

“Weather forecasts indicate a warming trend and chance of precipitation in the coming days,” the update stated. “We will be watching the river as the ice is expected to break-up and monitoring for trouble throughout the stretch of river.”

New Year’s Eve and Day brought worrisome watching and waiting — and sandbagging — for residents as the ice-covered river rose another 8-10 inches before stabilizing, officials said.

A public information officer again was stationed on the Columbia Park footbridge Friday to answer questions from the public.

Freezing temperatures and ice crystals in the river, along with high flows coming from the Little Deschutes River, contributed to flooding of some properties along the Deschutes River between Colorado Avenue and Galveston Avenue, officials said in Friday’s update.

Several backyards and public parks have become flooded and icy. River ice is unstable, they said, and people and pets need to stay away from the river.

Flows coming from the Little Deschutes were dropping Friday, “and with warmer temperatures in the forecast, experts are hopeful that the worst is over,’ the update said.

City staff said they are still monitoring river flows and will be watching the thaw cycle to observe ice break-up patterns to prevent potential problems at the Galveston Avenue bridge and the Pacific Power dam further downstream by Newport Avenue.

Public Works and Bend Fire employees have been visiting homes along Riverfront Street to offer assistance and information. Staff from Bend’s streets department filled and provided at least 350 sandbags to residents in that area.

Friday morning, there were still 30 to 40 sandbags for residents to pick up at the footbridge area on Riverfront Street and Gilchrist Avenue.

City officials and the Deschutes County sheriff’s emergency service manager are monitoring the situation and are in communications with the Oregon Water Resources Department, Pacific Power officials and Bend Park and Recreation District officials as needed.

“It’s important that people and pets stay off the ice,” officials said.

“We’re just monitoring it — there’s really nothing else we can do,” city spokesman Justin Finestone said Thursday afternoon. “There are some other strategies we could use, like letting more water out of the dam downstream, maybe breaking up the ice. But all the water officials we’ve talked to, and the fire officials and public safety folks think that could make the situation worse.”

Some area residents have seen this happen before — though not so quickly.

“About five or six years ago, it got about halfway up, but never like this and never so fast,” said Spencer Dahl, a homeowner on Riverfront Street.

“It’s pretty scary when the water is coming towards your house.”

This week’s sub-zero temperatures have caused portions of the river to freeze up in Bend, sending icy water swirling Wednesday into the yards of some riverside homes and prompting the city to make sandbags available for two days now.

Beyond that, all city officials say they can do is wait.

“As temperatures warm up over the next few days and the ice starts to melt, again we’ll monitor and see,” Finestone said.

“The ice on the river is extremely dangerous,” the city said in a news release. “It’s important to keep you and your pets away” — and not to venture onto the ice if a pet runs out.

The ice-covered river and flood threat made for a nervous end to 2014 for residents like Gail Rogers.

“Yesterday (Tuesday), I noticed that the river was flowing just perfect, with some icebergs floating down it — just normal,” she said. “And so, to look at it now and to see it almost at a standstill, at least on top, is a little disconcerning, because we’re so used to that flow going by.”

For more information, call the Deschutes County Emergency Hotline at 541-550-4886. The number provides citizens and media with public information as it pertains to emergency incidents in or affecting Deschutes County.

The National Weather Service in Pendleton warned that the extended period of very cold temperatures will lead to ice jams along many rivers and streets, with minor flooding possible where they send water surging out of the banks.

They said along with the Deschutes, other rivers that could experience ice jams include the John Day, Grande Ronde and Umatilla rivers. Those living near rivers and streams were warned to be prepared and seek higher ground if they see flooding.