December 13th flood

The December 13th Flood
12/13/2003

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The following page documents paddling-related 'incidents' that occurred during the December 13, 2003 high water event in Western Oregon. Several inches of rain fell in a 36-hour timeframe, taking what were already healthy flows up to a very high level in a very short period of time. The Breitenbush jumped from 1,000 cfs to 5,500 cfs, and the Little North Santiam roared up from 2,000 to 12,000 cfs in one day.

Of course, paddlers were out in mass, lured by the prospect of paddling cranked-up rivers and creeks that happened to reach peak flows on a Saturday; it was floodlust at it's best.

Thankfully, no one lost their life or incurred any serious injuries during this event, but there was significant gear loss.

Paddle safe.

EVENT FLOWS DETAILS AND SOURCE

LOST KAYAK AND PADDLE ON CANTON CREEK NORTH UMPQUA AT WINCHESTER - 44,000 CFS / 17 FEET
NORTH UMPQUA AT GLIDE - 30,000 CFS / 16 FEET
NORTH UMPQUA AT COPELAND CREEK - 4,700 CFS / 9 FEET
( Source: E-mail Sent to this site, see Jason's Line for contact info.. )
A kayaker lost his boat and paddle on Canton Creek in the North Umpqua drainage.
After this incident, his compatriots spent one hour trying to ferry across (lack of eddies/ blind corners) the creek to hike out themselves.
Epilogue: On Thursday, December 18th the gear lost on Canton Creek was recovered (the recovery team had to use a cherry-picker to pull some of it out of the trees..)

LOST KAYAK AND PADDLE ON MOLLALA RIVER MOLLALA RIVER AT CANBY - 13,000 CFS / 18.8 FEET ( Source: Posted on PDX Kayaker )
LOST: Blue Green Necky Rip and Red Lightning Paddle
To add to yesterday's mayhem, we lost a boat below the Table Rock Fork of the Mollala above the Three Bears. After being tangled up in a very nasty recirculating boil and being repeatedly worked against the cliff and rocks, the boats owner ejected.
No big problem, got him out without much trouble, but the boat took off like a rocket. I chased it down about 2 miles below the Table Rock Fork where it became tangled up (at least for a while) on some debris in the middle of the river. I couldn't work my way back up to it.
Anyway, we're looking to recover a blue green Necky Rip with the keys to the car in it. I also tossed a red lightning paddle up on the rocks (above high water?) on river right about .5 to 1 mile upstream of where the boat was tangled up.

THREE LOST KAYAKS
FIVE STRANDED KAYAKERS ON THE SANDY RIVER
SANDY RIVER AT BULL RUN - 16,000 CFS / 15.2 FEET ( Source: An Oregonian Article by Catherine Trevison )
Rescuers used ropes to rescue three kayakers from the bottom of a cliff and a helicopter to rescue two others near an inundated sandbar.
The first rescue started near Dodge Park about 1:44 p.m., when three kayakers had to be lifted by rope from the river's edge at the base of a 150-foot cliff, Sandy Fire Department spokeswoman Alice Lasher said. The first kayaker had been pulled to safety at 4:13 p.m. when a second call came in; two more kayakers were stranded on a sandbar a half-mile away.
Jeremy Clemons, 28, of Gresham and April Bertelsen, 28, of Portland started kayaking at 2:30 p.m., but Bertelsen fell from her craft almost immediately, according to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office.
The kayakers grabbed branches and held on about 40 feet from shore and 30 feet from each other.
Although the area would normally be a sandbar, the rising river flooded it, Strovink said. The high river, snow and large river-borne logs ruled out a safe boat rescue, Lasher said.
Rescuers called in the Salem-based helicopter crew of pilot Lt. Col. Dan Hokanson, co-pilot Capt. Bryan Houston and Flight Medic Staff Sgt. Travis Powell. The crew reached Clemons and Bertelsen just after 7 p.m., said Maj. Arnold Strong of the Oregon National Guard.
The crew lowered Powell into the river on a hoist. He made his way to the kayakers and, one by one, pulled them into the helicopter.
However, as soon as they were inside, the pilot was forced to land because the helicopter's blades were becoming icy, Strong said.
Epilogue: The next day Val Shaull (in a cat-boat), Greg Stewart, and several kayakers searched for the lost boats. Greg and Val ended up recovering three kayaks. It was really nice to see the paddling community come together and help these folks out.

LOST KAYAK ON TABLE ROCK FORK OF THE MOLLALA RIVER MOLLALA RIVER AT CANBY - 13,000 CFS / 18.8 FEET A kayaker was portaging 'The Pinch' on the Table Rock Fork of the Mollala when he slipped down a 15 foot cliff face, his kayak fell in the river. The paddler ended up falling ten vertical feet onto rocks and bruised his hip and shoulder. The kayaker who lost the boat was on the wrong side of the river from the road, so he had to hike two miles upstream through thick brush. It took him an hour to reach the put-in bridge.
The other kayaker related the following: "His kayak hit the water and seemed to evaporate it was gone so fast. I got in my kayak and chased the boat. Just downstream I heard boulders crashing together below me, rolling downstream on the riverbed as I ran a rapid. Then I got stuck in a hole and realized I was putting myself a very dangerous situation. The river was in the trees, so it took me awhile to find a place to stop.I found an eddy a quarter mile downstream and hiked off. The river was flooding, the boulders that usually form the bottom hole at 'The Pinch' were covered.. there was no hole at The Pinch, just big reaction hydraulics everywhere."
Epilogue: A team of kayakers retured the next day and ran the Table Rock Fork, searching for the lost boat. The kayak was found five miles downstream on the main Mollala, just below Horse Creek Canyon, wedged on a log. The rear pillar was hanging out of the cockpit, but the boat was intact, and the sponge and spare paddle was even still in the boat. The single floatbag in the boat was also found just upstream, so there was no lost gear.
This is a good example of a determined search yielding good results.

LOST KAYAK ON LAKE CREEK LAKE CREEK - 18 FEET ( Source: Posted on Eugene Kayaker )
Sorry to say, but I lost my boat on Lake Creek Saturday (12-13-03). If anyone comes across a Dagger G-Force 6.3, please notify me. Boat is mainly darker reds and has some yellowish tints. Be safe and happy holidays!!! (541) 688-3516

LOST PADDLE ON LAKE CREEK LAKE CREEK - 18 FEET ( Source: Posted on Eugene Kayaker )
Lost my paddle on Lake Creek today. Black blades with black/green crisscross pattern on the shaft, perception type paddle (WHY do they make so many paddles BLACK??!!). Stickers (salamander and Lotus) on the blades. IF anyone finds it, I'd love to not have to fork out for another! :D
Thanks!
434-2436

EVENT	FLOWS	DETAILS AND SOURCE
LOST KAYAK AND PADDLE ON CANTON CREEK	NORTH UMPQUA AT WINCHESTER - 44,000 CFS / 17 FEET NORTH UMPQUA AT GLIDE - 30,000 CFS / 16 FEET NORTH UMPQUA AT COPELAND CREEK - 4,700 CFS / 9 FEET	( Source: E-mail Sent to this site, see Jason's Line for contact info.. ) A kayaker lost his boat and paddle on Canton Creek in the North Umpqua drainage. After this incident, his compatriots spent one hour trying to ferry across (lack of eddies/ blind corners) the creek to hike out themselves. Epilogue: On Thursday, December 18th the gear lost on Canton Creek was recovered (the recovery team had to use a cherry-picker to pull some of it out of the trees..)
LOST KAYAK AND PADDLE ON MOLLALA RIVER	MOLLALA RIVER AT CANBY - 13,000 CFS / 18.8 FEET	( Source: Posted on PDX Kayaker ) LOST: Blue Green Necky Rip and Red Lightning Paddle To add to yesterday's mayhem, we lost a boat below the Table Rock Fork of the Mollala above the Three Bears. After being tangled up in a very nasty recirculating boil and being repeatedly worked against the cliff and rocks, the boats owner ejected. No big problem, got him out without much trouble, but the boat took off like a rocket. I chased it down about 2 miles below the Table Rock Fork where it became tangled up (at least for a while) on some debris in the middle of the river. I couldn't work my way back up to it. Anyway, we're looking to recover a blue green Necky Rip with the keys to the car in it. I also tossed a red lightning paddle up on the rocks (above high water?) on river right about .5 to 1 mile upstream of where the boat was tangled up.
THREE LOST KAYAKS FIVE STRANDED KAYAKERS ON THE SANDY RIVER	SANDY RIVER AT BULL RUN - 16,000 CFS / 15.2 FEET	( Source: An Oregonian Article by Catherine Trevison ) Rescuers used ropes to rescue three kayakers from the bottom of a cliff and a helicopter to rescue two others near an inundated sandbar. The first rescue started near Dodge Park about 1:44 p.m., when three kayakers had to be lifted by rope from the river's edge at the base of a 150-foot cliff, Sandy Fire Department spokeswoman Alice Lasher said. The first kayaker had been pulled to safety at 4:13 p.m. when a second call came in; two more kayakers were stranded on a sandbar a half-mile away. Jeremy Clemons, 28, of Gresham and April Bertelsen, 28, of Portland started kayaking at 2:30 p.m., but Bertelsen fell from her craft almost immediately, according to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office. The kayakers grabbed branches and held on about 40 feet from shore and 30 feet from each other. Although the area would normally be a sandbar, the rising river flooded it, Strovink said. The high river, snow and large river-borne logs ruled out a safe boat rescue, Lasher said. Rescuers called in the Salem-based helicopter crew of pilot Lt. Col. Dan Hokanson, co-pilot Capt. Bryan Houston and Flight Medic Staff Sgt. Travis Powell. The crew reached Clemons and Bertelsen just after 7 p.m., said Maj. Arnold Strong of the Oregon National Guard. The crew lowered Powell into the river on a hoist. He made his way to the kayakers and, one by one, pulled them into the helicopter. However, as soon as they were inside, the pilot was forced to land because the helicopter's blades were becoming icy, Strong said. Epilogue: The next day Val Shaull (in a cat-boat), Greg Stewart, and several kayakers searched for the lost boats. Greg and Val ended up recovering three kayaks. It was really nice to see the paddling community come together and help these folks out.
LOST KAYAK ON TABLE ROCK FORK OF THE MOLLALA RIVER	MOLLALA RIVER AT CANBY - 13,000 CFS / 18.8 FEET	A kayaker was portaging 'The Pinch' on the Table Rock Fork of the Mollala when he slipped down a 15 foot cliff face, his kayak fell in the river. The paddler ended up falling ten vertical feet onto rocks and bruised his hip and shoulder. The kayaker who lost the boat was on the wrong side of the river from the road, so he had to hike two miles upstream through thick brush. It took him an hour to reach the put-in bridge. The other kayaker related the following: "His kayak hit the water and seemed to evaporate it was gone so fast. I got in my kayak and chased the boat. Just downstream I heard boulders crashing together below me, rolling downstream on the riverbed as I ran a rapid. Then I got stuck in a hole and realized I was putting myself a very dangerous situation. The river was in the trees, so it took me awhile to find a place to stop.I found an eddy a quarter mile downstream and hiked off. The river was flooding, the boulders that usually form the bottom hole at 'The Pinch' were covered.. there was no hole at The Pinch, just big reaction hydraulics everywhere." Epilogue: A team of kayakers retured the next day and ran the Table Rock Fork, searching for the lost boat. The kayak was found five miles downstream on the main Mollala, just below Horse Creek Canyon, wedged on a log. The rear pillar was hanging out of the cockpit, but the boat was intact, and the sponge and spare paddle was even still in the boat. The single floatbag in the boat was also found just upstream, so there was no lost gear. This is a good example of a determined search yielding good results.
LOST KAYAK ON LAKE CREEK	LAKE CREEK - 18 FEET	( Source: Posted on Eugene Kayaker ) Sorry to say, but I lost my boat on Lake Creek Saturday (12-13-03). If anyone comes across a Dagger G-Force 6.3, please notify me. Boat is mainly darker reds and has some yellowish tints. Be safe and happy holidays!!! (541) 688-3516
LOST PADDLE ON LAKE CREEK	LAKE CREEK - 18 FEET	( Source: Posted on Eugene Kayaker ) Lost my paddle on Lake Creek today. Black blades with black/green crisscross pattern on the shaft, perception type paddle (WHY do they make so many paddles BLACK??!!). Stickers (salamander and Lotus) on the blades. IF anyone finds it, I'd love to not have to fork out for another! :D Thanks! 434-2436