More Than $1 Million In Water Damage To Oregon High School
Following last
weekend’s flooding, Canyon Creek finally began receding late this week, but not
before doing more than a million dollars in damages to Grant Union High School
as well as neighboring homes and businesses.
Torrential
rains combined with oversized mountain snowpacks were the main causes of the
flooding, sending the creek over its banks and damaging the school’s boiler
room, administrative offices, gymnasium, and grounds.
Principal Curt
Shelley described the situation as “overwhelming”, saying the school was in no
financial condition to undertake extensive repair projects, and hoping the
insurance would cover the flood damage.
Canyon Creek
originates in the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness and parallels U.S. 395 through
Canyon City and John Day. The creek is a tributary of the John Day River, which
also overflowed and damaged roughly 50 Grant County homes and businesses,
numerous roads and at least one bridge, said Grant County Sheriff Glenn Palmer.
Sunday saw more
than 200 volunteers stacking sandbags around the school and around neighboring
communities in an effort to keep the flood waters at bay.By Wednesday the emergency had subsided
somewhat as the creek and local John Day River levels fell by more than 18
inches.
Classes were
able to resume on Wednesday, however the school had no heat.With temperatures for the day not expected to
get out of the 50’s, students were told to dress warmly.
The Grant
County Sheriff’s office said that they expect to leave the sandbags in place
for some time, as there are still massive amounts of snow remaining on the
nearby mountaintops that could continue to pose a threat.
High water
levels were also reported in other areas of Grant County, damaging not only
homes and businesses but also area roads, and forcing the closing of the
Service Creek Bridge spanning the John Day River along Oregon 19 and 207
between the towns of Spray and Fossil.
The sheriff’s
office has warned that sizeable snowpacks, some as large as 200 percent of
their normal size, could bring more high water later, especially as overall
temperatures continue to rise into their late spring and early summer norms.
The situation
in Oregon dramatically illustrates the fact that floods can occur anywhere, at
any time, and while most flooding may be locally confined, it can just as
easily encompass entire communities, regions, or even states.
And while the
school may be covered against flooding, the same cannot be said, nor should it
be assumed, for homeowners.Flood
insurance is not a part of any standard homeowners’ policy, which makes it
imperative to see what is and is not covered and make the appropriate
adjustments.
If your
community participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), then you
can add flood coverage to your policy for an additional fee.And unless you live at the top of Pike’s Peak
or THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK’s Cloud City, then flood coverage is something to be
seriously considered.
You should also
prepare for the worst by having the contact information for your local, IICRC
certified, basement flooding professionals.The value of having a provider that is
available 24/7, with trained staff, the latest in gear and procedures, and a
full line of services designed to handle all aspects of any water damage job,
cannot be underestimated.
From water
extraction and drying, to carpet, cleaning and mold remediation, to structural
repair and restoration, your IICRC certified professionals are ready to service
all of your water damage or flood repair needs.Read more about Grant Union High School flood damage here...
