1948 Columbia River flood

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1948 Columbia River flood
Aerial view of vanport flooded.jpg
Aerial view of Vanport, Oregon, during the flood
DateMay–June 1948
Location Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana in the United States and British Columbia, Canada [1]
Deaths16–102 [2]
Property damage$102.7 million ($1.2 billion in 2021) [1] [3]

The 1948 Columbia River flood (or Vanport Flood) was a regional flood that occurred in the Pacific Northwest of the United States and Canada. Large portions of the Columbia River watershed were impacted, including the Portland area, Eastern Washington, northeastern Oregon, Idaho Panhandle, northwestern Montana, and southeastern British Columbia. A publication of the U.S. Geological Survey in 1949 stated property damage reached $102.7 million (1949 value), 250,000 acres of farmland were flooded, 20,000 acres of land were damaged or destroyed, and at least 16 died in the flood (the phrasing suggests these were deaths from the Vanport community); estimates for total deaths from the flood go as high as 102. [1] Among the damage was the complete destruction of Vanport, in the Portland metropolitan area, which was the second largest city in Oregon at the time. [4] The flood was largely caused by rapid melting of above-average snowpack by heavy precipitation and warm temperatures. [1] It remains the second largest flood recorded on the river. [2]

Contents

Meteorological synopsis

Above average snowfall was recorded in the mountains of the Columbia River watershed during the winter of 1947–48 resulting from more low pressure systems traversing the Pacific Northwest than normal. In early April, scientists at the University of Washington reported that snowpack was 20 to 40 percent deeper than average. [2] Unusually cold temperatures were recorded in Eastern Washington during the spring months, helping deep snow to remain in place into May. During this time, the flood risk was noted by several government agencies, including the Department of Lands and Forests in British Columbia and the U.S. Weather Bureau. [1]

From March 1 to May 1, the mean temperature at the Tri-Cities was recorded as 47.4 °F (8.6 °C), compared to a 30-year average of 50.7 °F (10.4 °C) at the time. Snow was recorded in places like Pullman into late April. [5] [6] This air was generally sourced from around 60°N in latitude, which is much further north than what is expected for the time of year, driven by persistent low pressure over the Canadian Rockies. [1]

The weather pattern shifted in mid-May as low pressure set up off the coast of Northern California and a ridge of high pressure in the interior of North America. This brought warmer and more moist conditions with rain and thunderstorms. [1]

Flood

Heavy rain caused the Columbia and its tributaries to rise, reaching 8 feet (2.4 m) above flood stage in the Portland area by May 25. At this point, levees generally contained the rivers, but another round of heavy rain and thunderstorms the following week brought another rise. [5] One of these occurred on May 27, causing a flash flood on Dry Creek in Ephrata, Washington, where 60 blocks were damaged. Silt coming into the city blocked the storm drains, limiting how much water the city's infrastructure could carry. [7]

On May 28, some larger tributaries of the Columbia had flooded. Temporary levees were built in Cle Elum and Ellensburg in an attempt to keep the Yakima River from flooding those communities. The Kootenai River flooded 25,000 acres (10,000 ha) of farmland in the Idaho Panhandle. Record setting flooding from the Columbia itself was observed in the Tri-Cities, Portland metropolitan area, and in Trail, British Columbia on May 30 and 31. [2] [8] [9]

Many streamflow gauges on larger waterways like the Columbia recorded near-record high discharge rates, only being beat by major flooding in 1894 and 1876. Major flooding in 1849 likely also exceeded the 1948 peak but reliable records do not extend that far into the past for the area. The average spring discharge of the Columbia River in 1948 was 540,000 ft³/sec (15,000 m³/sec), but during the flooding values peaked around 1.01 million ft³/sec (28,600 m³/sec) and remained high for several weeks. [2] Gauges on tributaries generally did not approach records, as smaller waterways see greater flooding from more localized events than is seen in most regional events like the 1948 flooding. [1]

Major flooding from rapid snowmelt was also observed in other major watersheds in the region, including the Fraser River which inundated portions of the Vancouver area leaving 1500 people homeless. [10] The Snake River, which is the largest tributary to the Columbia, and its watershed did not experience widespread flooding thanks to lower snowpack in East Idaho and far western Wyoming. [1]

Damage

Several cities experienced extensive damage during the 1948 flooding with large rural areas also ending up under water. Many railroad tracks, power, telephone, and telegraph lines were out of service for a period following the flood. Small cities in the Inland Northwest, such as Bonners Ferry, Idaho, Union, Oregon, and Libby, Montana were flooded by the rivers and creeks they sit on. Washed out and flooded roads isolated other areas, such as the Methow Valley in Northern Washington. Flooding in these areas generally began the week of May 23 and lasted for several days. [1]

Floodwaters gradually continued downstream, forcing evacuations around the Tri-Cities as early as May 27 and closing the highway between The Dalles and Cascade Locks in Oregon on the 28th. [1] Despite frequent assurances from officials, levees protecting Vanport, a World War II era housing project, failed, completely destroying the city. [4] [11] Rather than having the neighborhoods rebuilt, this low area between the Columbia River and Columbia Slough is occupied by the Portland International Raceway, a golf course, and some businesses. [5] Vanport remained underwater for several weeks following the levee burst. [12]

Flooding in the Tri-Cities peaked on May 31 with Kennewick taking the brunt of the water because a larger portion of the city lies at a lower elevation compared to Pasco and Richland. While Kennewick's downtown was being cleaned up, many businesses relocated to a temporary building set up for them to continue to operate despite the damage. The Richland Wye, adjacent to Bateman Island and parts of downtown Richland also flooded. Closures on U.S. Route 410 caused problems for commuters, especially people living in Kennewick and Pasco but working on the Hanford Site. [8]

Response

The Dalles Dam on the Columbia River near The Dalles, Oregon Epa-archives the dalles dam-cropped.jpg
The Dalles Dam on the Columbia River near The Dalles, Oregon

In the United States, National Guard troops deployed throughout the region to assist with disaster relief during and after the flood. [8] President Harry Truman visited Washington on a campaign trip in June 1948. During his visit, he toured flood damaged areas around the Portland metro area and Wenatchee. Truman expressed support for more extensive flood control infrastructure in the Northwest while speaking in Seattle, but a speech he gave in Portland a few days later focused more on development of the river for commerce and focused less on flooding and safety. [13] [11]

Throughout the flooded area, waterways were altered to limit the chances of future flooding. A joint commission involving the United States and Canada had been formed in 1944 to study improvements that could be made to the Columbia River system, and it gained further urgency following the flooding in 1948. The result of this commission was the Columbia River Treaty, which was ratified between the two nations in 1964. [14] Smaller waterways were also altered, such as in Kimberley, British Columbia where Mark Creek was diverted into a flume. [15]

Partially in response to the 1948 floods, the United States Congress passed the Flood Control Act of 1950 funding the construction of several new dams and levee systems in the Columbia River watershed. [14] Multiple dams owned by the United States Army Corps of Engineers resulted from this act including The Dalles Dam, as well as dams owned by sub-national entities like Priest Rapids Dam. [16] As a result of these projects, major flooding on the Columbia River is far less likely. [8]

These songs were inspired by the flood.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Columbia River</span> River in the Pacific Northwest of North America

The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river forms in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada. It flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state of Oregon before emptying into the Pacific Ocean. The river is 1,243 miles long, and its largest tributary is the Snake River. Its drainage basin is roughly the size of France and extends into seven states of the United States and one Canadian province. The fourth-largest river in the United States by volume, the Columbia has the greatest flow of any river entering the Pacific outside of Asia, and the 36th greatest discharge of any river in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yakima River</span> River in Washington state, United States

The Yakima River is a tributary of the Columbia River in south central and eastern Washington state, named for the indigenous Yakama people. Lewis and Clark mention in their journals that the Chin-nâm pam called the river Tâpe têtt, possibly from the French tape-tête, meaning "head hit". The length of the river from headwaters to mouth is 214 miles (344 km), with an average drop of 9.85 feet per mile (1.866 m/km). It is the longest river entirely in Washington state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tri-Cities, Washington</span> Place in Washington, United States

The Tri-Cities are three closely linked cities at the confluence of the Yakima, Snake, and Columbia Rivers in the Columbia Basin of Eastern Washington. The cities border one another, making the Tri-Cities seem like one uninterrupted mid-sized city. The three cities function as the center of the Tri-Cities metropolitan area, which consists of Benton and Franklin counties. The Tri-Cities urban area includes the city of West Richland, the census-designated places (CDP) of West Pasco and Finley, as well as the CDP of Burbank, despite the latter being located in Walla Walla County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Benton County, Washington</span> County in Washington, United States

Benton County is a county in the south-central portion of the U.S. state of Washington. As of the 2020 census, its population was 206,873. The county seat is Prosser, and its most populous city is Kennewick. The Columbia River demarcates the county's north, south, and east boundaries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willamette River</span> 187-mile Columbia River tributary in northwest Oregon, US

The Willamette River is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is 187 miles (301 km) long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States. Flowing northward between the Oregon Coast Range and the Cascade Range, the river and its tributaries form the Willamette Valley, a basin that contains two-thirds of Oregon's population, including the state capital, Salem, and the state's largest city, Portland, which surrounds the Willamette's mouth at the Columbia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kennewick, Washington</span> City in Washington, United States

Kennewick is a city in Benton County in the U.S. state of Washington. It is located along the southwest bank of the Columbia River, just southeast of the confluence of the Columbia and Yakima rivers and across from the confluence of the Columbia and Snake rivers. It is the most populous of the three cities collectively referred to as the Tri-Cities. The United States Census Bureau estimated the population to be 84,750 as of 2022, up from 83,921 at the 2020 United States Census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fraser River</span> River in British Columbia, Canada

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Priest Rapids Dam</span> Dam in Grant / Yakima counties, Washington

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vanport, Oregon</span> Former city destroyed by flood in Oregon, United States

Vanport, sometimes referred to as Vanport City or Kaiserville, was a city of wartime public housing in Multnomah County, Oregon, United States, between the contemporary Portland city boundary and the Columbia River. It was destroyed in the 1948 Columbia River flood and not rebuilt. It sat on what is currently the site of Delta Park and the Portland International Raceway.

Floods in the United States are generally caused by excessive rainfall, excessive snowmelt, and dam failure. Below is a list of flood events that were of significant impact to the country during the 20th century, from 1900 through 1999, inclusive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Columbia Slough</span> Waterway in the floodplain of the Columbia River in Oregon, U.S.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">McNary Levee System</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Portland, Oregon</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">1996 Pacific Northwest floods</span> 1996 floods in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, United States

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Pacific Northwest floods</span> Floods in the United States

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Paulsen, C. G.; Rantz, S. E.; Riggs, H. C. (1949). Floods of May-June 1948 in Columbia River Basin (PDF) (Report). United States Geological Survey. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 9, 2022. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Ott, Jennifer (August 30, 2013). "Vanport Flood begins on the Columba River on May 30, 1948". HistoryLink . Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  3. ↑ "U.S. Inflation Calculator". Archived from the original on 2008-07-23. Retrieved 2022-01-13.
  4. 1 2 Geiling, Natasha (February 18, 2015). "How Oregon's Second Largest City Vanished in a Day". Smithsonian Magazine. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  5. 1 2 3 Walter, Meghan. "Columbia River Levees at Vanport (Oregon, 1948)". Association of Dam Safety Officials. Archived from the original on February 28, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
  6. ↑ "xmACIS2". NOAA Regional Climate Centers. Archived from the original on August 15, 2019. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Floodplain Management". City of Ephrata, Washington. Archived from the original on January 13, 2022. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Gibson, Elizabeth (March 31, 2004). "Flood inundates Kennewick and Richland on May 31, 1948". HistoryLink. Archived from the original on December 31, 2019. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  9. ↑ Regnier, Sheri (June 17, 2015). "Trail Celebrates 120 Years - City battles swollen Columbia River in June 1948". Trail Times. Archived from the original on January 13, 2022. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  10. ↑ Luymes, Glenda (November 17, 2021). "From the Archives: The 1894 and 1948 Fraser Valley floods". Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on November 30, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  11. 1 2 Kahan, James P.; Wu, Mengjie; Hajiamiri, Sara; Knopman, Debra (2006). From Flood Control to Integrated Water Rescue Management: Lessons for the Gulf Coast from Flooding in Other Places in the Last Sixty Years. RAND Corporation. pp. 7–13.
  12. ↑ "1948 Aerial of Vanport flooded". City of Portland Archives & Records Management. June 15, 1948. Archived from the original on January 13, 2022. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  13. ↑ "President Harry S. Truman begins an early campaign trip across Washington on June 9, 1948". HistoryLink. June 4, 2003. Archived from the original on January 13, 2022. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  14. 1 2 Columbia River Treaty History and 2014/2024 Review (PDF) (Report). Bonneville Power Administration. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 June 2011. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Mark Creek Flume: Stream Rehabilitation & Naturalization Project". City of Kimberley. Archived from the original on January 13, 2022. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Public Law 516-81st Congress" (PDF). U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
  17. ↑ "The Annotated "Here Comes Sunshine"". artsites.ucsc.edu. UC Santa Cruz. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  18. ↑ Schmid, Thacher (22 December 2016). "Lost Woody Guthrie Song Tells Story of 'Vanport's Flood'". The Skanner News. The Skanner News. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
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