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1996 High Water Flood: Difference between revisions
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→NET Roles in the 1996 Flood
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Most notably, PF&R deployed NET volunteers to distribute information to business owners in the central eastside. ''The Oregonian'' mentioned NETs engaging in this activity [https://portlandnet.tumblr.com/post/187782471860/nets-during-the-1996-flood-net-volunteer-nicholas in an article] posted to the right on this page. | Most notably, PF&R deployed NET volunteers to distribute information to business owners in the central eastside. ''The Oregonian'' mentioned NETs engaging in this activity [https://portlandnet.tumblr.com/post/187782471860/nets-during-the-1996-flood-net-volunteer-nicholas in an article] posted to the right on this page. | ||
== 1996 Portland Floods: Background == | |||
The Flood of 1996 in Oregon was a severe weather event that took place in February of that year. It was characterized by heavy rainfall, high winds, and flooding, affecting several regions in the Pacific Northwest, including Portland. The Willamette River crested at 28.55 feet, where the typical level in February is seven feet. | |||
According to Joseph Rose with ''The Oregonian'', a convergence of weather events contributed to the flood's cause: | |||
* Abnormally high rainfall (7.12 inches, 125% above normal) that saturated the soil and had rivers running high in January. | |||
* Heavy snowfall in the mountains in late January. | |||
* A weeklong deep freeze in the valley. A headline in the Feb. 2, 1996, Oregonian read: "Cold weather makes plumbers hot item." | |||
* On Feb. 6, 1996, a warm Pineapple Express jetstream melted the snow while bringing a heavy deluge of rain. That was [https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2019WR024950 the trigger]. | |||
* Within hours, every body of water in the region and many on the Oregon Coast suddenly went to flood stage and beyond.<ref>Oregonian/OregonLive, J. R. |. (2020, February 5). Remembering Oregon’s epic 1996 flood (photos). ''Oregonlive''. https://www.oregonlive.com/history/2016/02/oregon_flood_of_1996_20_years.html</ref> | |||
Tragically, the Flood of '96 resulted in eight fatalities, with at least four people losing their lives in one day alone. The flood led to over one hundred landslides in Portland alone and caused millions of dollars in highway damage. Total damages across the region exceeded $1 billion.<ref>NOAA’s National Weather Service. (n.d.). ''Flooding in Oregon''. https://www.weather.gov/safety/flood-states-or</ref> | |||
== The 1996 After Action Report == | == The 1996 After Action Report == | ||
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[[File:1996 Flood Graph.jpg|alt=River level graph on page 11 of the original AAR document. The graph doesn't clarify the Columbia or Willamette river, only saying that readings are taken at the I-5 bridge.|thumb|''River level graph on page 11 of the original AAR document. The graph doesn't clarify the Columbia or Willamette river, only saying that readings are taken at the I-5 bridge.''|350x350px]] | [[File:1996 Flood Graph.jpg|alt=River level graph on page 11 of the original AAR document. The graph doesn't clarify the Columbia or Willamette river, only saying that readings are taken at the I-5 bridge.|thumb|''River level graph on page 11 of the original AAR document. The graph doesn't clarify the Columbia or Willamette river, only saying that readings are taken at the I-5 bridge.''|350x350px]] | ||
The AAR from the flood is itself a telling piece of work in the respect that AAR recommendations are nearly identical to AAR recommendations often seen in City of Portland AAR recommendations in decades since. The table below summarizes the report findings. Boxes highlighted in yellow indicate a plan item that ultimately contributed to the development of Portland NET. | The aftermath of the 1996 flood led to discussions and efforts to improve flood management and infrastructure resilience in the affected areas. It remains an important event in Oregon's history, highlighting the impact of severe weather on communities and the need for preparedness and response measures. | ||
The Portland AAR from the flood is itself a telling piece of work in the respect that AAR recommendations are nearly identical to AAR recommendations often seen in City of Portland AAR recommendations in decades since. The table below summarizes the report findings. Boxes highlighted in yellow indicate a plan item that ultimately contributed to the development of Portland NET. | |||
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