The City of Aberdeen has counted 30 landslides within the its purview since the flood, Public Works Director Malcolm Bowie said during a presentation to the City Council on Wednesday night.
“This flood was a more-than-100-year event,” Bowie said.
Areas receiving the most impact were E Street, Fleet Street (with slides coming from Wilson Creek and Henry’s Creek), Canyon Court (a Division Street drainage area), Cherry Street (caught between the Duffy Street and Division Street drainage areas) and the shooting range.
At E Street, a house came off its foundation and landed on Sixth Avenue, trapping an 80-year-old woman who later was rescued. Water from a disrupted water main spilled into Sixth Avenue and Baila Way.
In South Aberdeen, Charlie Creek flooded the city’s streets, crossing Highway 105. A levee along the Chehalis River held, both a blessing and a curse in the case of Charlie Creek. While water from the Chehalis did not flood the streets, the water from Charlie Creek couldn’t drain into the Chehalis and the levee held the water in the neighborhood.
“Once Charlie Creek inundated us, the levee actually worked against us,” Bowie said.
Damage at the shooting range alone could cost the city at least $250,ooo.
“There’s a pretty significant estimate of damage,” he said.
Mayor Bill Simpson said he’s proud of the work city staff have done and continue to do following the flood. A drive around the city last week left the mayor both optimistic and somberly stunned.
“The amount of volunteers that showed up at Olympic Stadium was unbelievable,” Simpson said of Saturday’s cleanup effort. “Not having a toothbrush, not having a comb, not having a place to stand or sit that’s their own — it’s tough to understand what some people are going through.”
Paul Dionne, LeMay Enterprises site manager, updated the city on the company’s efforts to help the city rebound from the flood. LeMay had 125 dumpsters cycled during the past week, receiving some 320 tons of garbage, with more left to pick up. Last year, a 2-month cleanup netted only 100 tons more than this past week.
“That gives you an impression of how much garbage was handled,” Dionne said.
LeMay will allow residents with proper identification to dump at the transfer station for free on Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (The station will be open on Sunday, adding a day to help residents dig out.)
If citizens do not have an ID showing their current residence, vouchers can be requested from Aberdeen City Hall.
The Coastal Community Action Program (CCAP) also updated the city on their efforts for flood relief. CCAP, through funds made available by the Grays Harbor Community Foundation, has hired a full-time organizer, Barb McDowell, to help impacted residents find the resources they may need. McDowell can be reached at 500-4551 or (800) 828-4883.
Residents speaking during the public comment period commended the city for its effort during and after the flood, though many had suggestions for future disasters, and possibly solutions that could mitigate the effects of any future significant rain events.
John Barclay suggested the city could update its website and technology to allow for emergency notifications directly to the public.
Gayle Ogren said her house has had flooding at an increased level since 1990. She asked the city to look into building permits on hillside parcels and forestry operations, which could be exacerbating the issue.
First Ward Councilwoman Tawni Andrews said citizens’ attitudes have left her feeling optimistic.
“For the most part, it’s been pretty refreshing that everybody has remained positive,” Andrews said. “You have your nay-sayers, which you always do, but a lot of times they don’t see everything that’s going on in the background … everybody’s staying positive and it’s just great to see.”
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