Last week’s flood caused an estimated $5 million to $7 million in damage to public infrastructure in Clallam County.
Bob Martin, Clallam County Department of Emergency Management program manager, gave a preliminary damage report to the three Clallam County commissioners — Mike Doherty, Steve Tharinger and Mike Chapman — on Tuesday.
The threshold for federal assistance is $211,000 for damage to public infrastructure.
“It’s pretty clear we’ll exceed that,” Martin said.
Funding for damage to private homes is uncertain.
About a dozen Clallam County residents have reported storm damage so far.
“It’s really important that they report to us so we can determine if the county will qualify for FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency] assistance,” Martin said.
The threshold for disaster assistance for private residences is distinct from the threshold for public infrastructure. Both vary from year to year.
In the past, the threshold for individual assistance was 25 or more residents, with at least 40 percent damage to their homes, Martin said.
To report weather-related damage, including damage from last month’s snow storms, phone the Clallam County Department of Emergency Management at 360-417-2483.
Thanks to its famous rain-shadow effect, East Jefferson County’s population centers emerged from the storm relatively unscathed.
“In East Jefferson County, we shadowed considerably,” said Bob Hamlin, Jefferson county emergency manager.
“Less than a dozen houses were impacted at all. . . . We were fortunate on this one.”
A rain shadow describes a phenomenon in which mountains block weather system, shielding areas from precipitation.
On the West End of the Peninsula, however, the Upper Hoh Road sustained substantial flood damage and remains closed.
“It’s going to be closed for some period of time,” Hamlin said.
Hamlin added that the Upper Hoh Road is critical because about half the guests of Olympic National Park visit the Hoh Rain Forest.
Hamlin, who worked for Clallam County earlier in his 40-year career in emergency management, was a guest speaker at the Clallam County commissioner’s meeting.
A damage estimate for Jefferson County was not available on Tuesday.
But, Hamlin said it was unlikely that Jefferson County will qualify for federal assistance.
To report weather-related damage in Jefferson County, call the Department of Emergency Management at 385-9368.
Declared emergencies
Both counties declared states of emergencies during the peak of the storm.
Clallam County opened its Emergency Operations Center in Port Angeles last Wednesday and kept it running into Thursday.
Martin and Hamlin agreed that improved forecasts have made it easier for counties to prepare for weather events in recent years.
Martin gave a slide presentation containing dramatic images of severe slide damage on state highway 112 at Milepost 37 in the Twin Rivers area east of Pysht.
The roadway, which sank up to 10 feet in places, will be closed for several weeks, at least, and perhaps for months.
In addition to the sink hole on state Highway 112, the county’s most significant flood damage occurred on the Nicholas Road bridge across Big Creek off Hoko-Ozette Road.
One side of the bridge collapsed during the midweek flood.
Some cars have crossed the damaged bridge using a temporary support, and the residents who live there can walk across safely, Martin said.
However, Clallam County engineer Ross Tyler has told Martin he thinks the bridge is a “total loss.”
In Clallam Bay, the Clallam River flooded onto Frontier Street, but the Frontier Street bridge sustained no major damage.
In nearby Sekiu, Washington Street remains closed after a drainage pipe was backed up. Crews had cut the roadway to get to the damaged pipe.
Farther to the west, Russell Road in Forks sustained minor flood damage.
Clallam and West Jefferson county rivers surged to near-record food levels early last Wednesday.
Heavy rain, combined with a rapid snow melt, kept them running high.
“They not only got to high levels, but they stayed there for a longer period of time than usual,” Martin said.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
