December 8, 2024

Whole Community News

From Kalapuya lands in the Willamette watershed

County consolidates natural hazard mitigation plans; survey open through Sept. 22

5 min read
Combining many plans into one countywide plan allows for more efficient management; it helps with risk planning as well as better coordination among area partners.
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from City of Eugene Public Works and staff reports

As the chief of Eugene Springfield Fire said at the time of the Holiday Farm Fire: “This is the wake-up call.

Local response to the Labor Day wildfires and to the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need among regional jurisdictions for more collaborative and integrated processes for preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery.

Now the cities of Eugene and Springfield and the utilities EWEB and Rainbow Water are preparing to fold their Multi-Jurisdictional Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan (MJNHMP) into the Lane County plan as annexes. Combining many plans into one countywide plan allows for more efficient management; it helps with risk planning as well as better coordination among area partners.

The four agencies will host two public sessions about transitioning to the county plan, renewing their own annex plans, and providing updates about their planning efforts. The public is encouraged to attend the sessions to learn more and to share feedback:

  • Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, 6 – 7:30 p.m., Eugene Springfield Fire, 1705 W Second Ave., Classroom 1
  • Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, 5:30 – 7 p.m., Springfield City Hall, 225 Fifth St., Jesse Maine Room

No registration is required. The two sessions are free and open to the public.

A natural hazards mitigation plan identifies natural hazards, vulnerabilities and risks facing local governments; it prioritizes processes and actions to reduce the risks. The public information sessions will cover:

  • Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan overview
    • Local natural hazards
    • Mitigation planning efforts
    • Transition to county plan coordination
  • Wildfire risk reduction
    • Resources for homeowners

The public is also invited to participate in a public feedback survey on natural hazard mitigation planning efforts, through Sept. 22. Results will help agencies in the planning process. A report on the results will be included in the natural hazard mitigation annex plans.

Eugene and EWEB are planning, among others, the following mitigation actions:

  • Develop a database of unreinforced masonry buildings (URMs) for first responders to utilized for planning and response operations. Areas include Eugene, Springfield, and parts of Lane County (Eugene Springfield Fire’s response area).
  • Evaluate off-street path bridges crossing over the Willamette River to complete a high-level seismic assessment of all major city bridges.
  • Pursue a water reuse partnership with MWMC. The Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission (MWMC) will add facilities to the wastewater treatment plant to produce the first-ever stream of Class A recycled water – the highest quality recycled water class in Oregon, suitable for all water uses except drinking.
  • Complete seismic improvements to Chambers Bridge over UPRR and Bailey Hill Road at Amazon Creek, and to West 11th Bridge at Amazon Creek.
  • Second source project. Construct a new water intake structure and filtration plant on the Willamette River, with necessary water transmission lines, to provide a secondary source of drinking water supply, treatment and delivery.
  • Rebuild College Hill water reservoir. Once the new tanks at College Hill are complete, the Santa Clara Reservoir, classified as a high hazard dam, can be taken offline.
  • Grid hardening. Improve early detection, response and resiliency to wildfires and other severe weather events with enhanced vegetation management practices, advanced technology and fire-resistant equipment.

Another highlight of the city of Eugene’s annex is a review of historic significant natural events in Eugene:

Event TypeFEMA #*YearTimeframeDamage Amt.**Additional Event Information
Extreme Heat2024JUL 3–8>100°+ Consecutive Days – 4
Severe Winter StormDR-4768- OR2024JAN 12-27$1.6M4+ inches of ice in Eugene; Lane Co. Estimated Damage = $35M
Extreme Heat2023AUG 13-16>100°+ Consecutive Days – 4
Wildfire Smoke(1)2023MAY – SEPT15 days of air quality unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse.
Wildfire Smoke(1)2022MAY – SEPT6 days of air quality unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse.
Extreme Heat2021JUN 27111° – Highest Temp Ever Recorded for COE
Wildfire Smoke(1)2021MAY – SEPT14 days of air quality unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse
Drought2020Near record breaking dry spell
Wildfire Smoke(1)2020MAY – SEPT14 days of air quality unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse.
Wildfire/Straight Line Wind EventDR-4562-OR2020SEPT 8-142020 Labor Day Fires and Straight-line winds
Flooding20192019 Flooding, middle fork of the Willamette – exceed 1996 flow levels
Severe Winter StormDR-4432-OR2019FEB 25-MAR 1Heavy Snow – 9-12in
Wildfire Smoke(1)2019MAY – SEPT5 days of air quality unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse.
Wildfire Smoke(1)2018MAY – SEPT22 days of air quality unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse.
Wildfire Smoke(1)2017MAY – SEPT16 days of air quality unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse
Severe Winter StormDR-4269-OR2016DEC 15-22$1.6MIce Storm – 20,000 power outages
Windstorm2016JAN 16$15,000Peak gusts up to 63 mph
Extreme Heat2015JUL 29-AUG 1>100°+ Consecutive Days
Wildfire Smoke(1)2015MAY – SEPT3 days of air quality unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse.
Windstorm2015DEC 10$260,000Peak gusts up to 47 mph, widespread power outages
Severe Winter StormDR-4169-OR2014FEB 6-24$1.7MHeavy Snow/Freezing Rain – 0.75 inches of ice, 10,000 power outages
Wildfire Smoke(1)2014MAY – SEPT1 days of air quality unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse.
Extreme Cold2013DEC 7-11< 10° Consecutive Days - 5
Extreme Cold2013DEC 7-9< 0° Consecutive Days - 3
Severe Winter Storm2013Jan 10Freezing Temps, de-icing incident
Severe Winter Storm2013DEC 4-13Heavy Snow/Extreme Cold – 8-9in
Wildfire Smoke(1)2013MAY – SEPT10 days of air quality unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse.
Severe Winter Storm2012MAR 21-26$317,612
Severe Winter StormDR-4055- OR2012JAN 17-21Snow/Ice – 2,000 power outages
Windstorm2011MAR 13 -16
Severe Winter Storm2010DEC 27-29Ice Incident
Severe Winter Storm2010NOV 23-24Heavy Snow
Extreme Heat2009JUL 27-29>100°+ Consecutive Days
Extreme Heat2009JUL 28106°
Severe Winter Storm2008DEC 27-29Heavy Snow/Ice Incident
Extreme Heat2006JUL 22-24>100°+ Consecutive Days
Windstorm2006FEB 3-4$300,000Peak gusts of 46 mph, 3500 without power in County
Windstorm2006MAY$5,00013,000 without power
WindstormDR-1405- DR2002FEB 7-8$6MPeak gusts up to 70 mph
Windstorm2001MAR 13Peak gusts of 60 mph, 25,000 power outages in County, trees toppled, and buildings damaged
Severe Winter Storm1998DEC-FEBHeavy Snow – one of the snowiest winters in Oregon history
1996 Floods1160,1149,10991996FEB, NOV, DECSevere storms and flooding
Windstorm1107-DR- OR1995DECPeak gusts up to 49 mph, 62 mph in Willamette Valley; saturated soils compounded damage
Severe Winter Storm1993FEB 18-19Heavy Snow – 6 to 12 in
Severe Winter Storm1992DEC 16-17Heavy Snow
Severe Winter Storm1990FEB 11-16Heavy Snow – Avg. 8 in
Extreme Cold1989FEB 2-9< 20° Consecutive Days - 8
Extreme Cold1989FEB 3-8< 10° Consecutive Days - 6
Extreme Heat Event1981AUG 7-10>100°+ Consecutive Days, 108°
Extreme Cold1972DEC 8-12°
Extreme Cold1972DEC 4-14< 20° Consecutive Days - 11
Extreme Cold1972DEC 7-11< 0° Consecutive Days - 5
Snow1969JanuaryLargest recorded snow accumulation 47.1 in
Flood1841964DECLargest recorded flood in City/County history
Severe Windstorm1361962OCT 12-16Wind Gusts 86mph
Windstorm1961JAN 7-8Highest Sustained Wind – 58mph/Gust – 78mph
Extreme Cold1950FEB 2-3< 0° Consecutive Days - 2
Extreme Cold1924DEC 17-27< 20° Consecutive Days - 11
Extreme Cold1924DEC 23-25< 0° Consecutive Days – 3

Sources for the historical record of significant natural events:

  • City of Eugene – Public Works
  • National Weather Service – NWS-Climate Book
  • FEMA – Assigned Federally Declared Disaster Number
  • (1) Oregon Department of Environmental Quality – Air Quality Trends Report

For more information about natural hazard mitigation plans, see:

These emergency management documents are also searchable at the Whole Community News document repository.

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