In the same rainstorm that led to a closure of Highway 6, localized flooding in Gales Creek prompted Washington County to plan a third culvert at a two-culvert project completed last year near Thornburg Road.
The project begins Jan. 20 and is expected to wrap up Feb. 2. County crews are planning a lane closure from Balm Grove Loop to Thornburg Road and are urging travelers to take an alternate route during construction.
"The December storm was an unusually large event that overwhelmed the entire Gales Creek system, including the new culvert near Thornburg Road," said Washington County Land Use and Transportation spokesperson Lauren Scott in an email to News in the Grove. "Many culverts in the area were backed up, and water overtopped the stream banks and ended up in the ditch lines, leading to localized flooding," she said.
The intensity of the storm caught the county unable to prepare for the flooding in Gales Creek, Scott said. White Creek, a small tributary that enters Gales Creek near the intersection of Gales Creek Road and Highway 6, flooded.
"Unfortunately, its intensity left no time for preventive measures," she said. "Our goal now is to enhance resilience in preparation for future events."
The county plans additional work this summer to strengthen the streambank.
In the interim, sandbags were placed near Thornburg Road to manage the streamflow. The new culvert is planned to relieve pressure and improve drainage.
The first two culverts were installed at a cost of $1.5 million, according to a webpage for the project.
