Emerging from Hibernation

Our little town is emerging from one of those hundred year floods that happened in 1996 as well. This one was worse.  Below is a photo of what was going through the flood channel for Mill Creek behind Whitman College February 7, 2020.  I never seen a flood this close up before, that water isn't really water but thick mud soup with debris in it. Inside town damage was roadways and bridges.  Several bridges over Mill Creek were closed off to car and foot traffic as cracks and holes developed in the roadway. Ultimately two bridges just outside town collapsed and went away. The Fairgrounds were opened for people's critters as this is a farm town.  The house and garage on my  son's former small farm home are on a hill and were safe but the present owner's pastures, fences, irrigation equipment, outbuildings were all swept away. fortunately there's a small high pasture next to the house so their animals were safe. That's also where one of the bridges went and is still out. All is covered with 6" plus of thick brown goo. Many winter crops were completely taken out.  After days of this the water starting slacking off right before the evac order came for us. Neighboring towns were not so lucky. The whole Walla Walla valley from the Palouse down into and past Pendleton, Oregon got hit. Oregon and Washington highways were closed including I-84 along the Umatilla River.

Mill Creek February 7th, 2020




Blue Mountain Therapeutic Riding post flood February 15, 2020


Photo: Ronald Murphy

Me and mine were all high and dry in town. Most of the roads are open again. The cleanup will go on forever.  The Army Corps of Engineers is rebuilding and looking for ways to expand the broad flood prevention systems they build here years ago as Walla Walla used to flood a lot. Many homes here are built up 8' to 10' above street level because of that.  This has been a winter of snow, then rain and warm temperatures and then down comes the water and mud.  Climate change anyone?