Follow us on Twitter

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

HWY 410 Landslides/ Nile Community Update-NOV. 24, 2009

HWY 410 Landslides/ Nile Community Update-NOV. 24, 2009

Naches, WASH-11/24/09

This will be our last weekly posting regarding the HWY 410 Landslide. If potentially hazardous events unfold and the community needs information, our office will make a posting.
The Nile community, Yakima county, Yakima Valley Office of Emergency Management, and WSDOT can take pride in what was accomplished. This incident was a reflection of what community preparedness, government partnership, and all around disaster response should be.


NWS Pendleton Forecast for 8 Miles SE Cliffdell, WA

Use this link to check: NOAA National Weather Forecast for 8 miles east of Cliffdell. http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=46.86394700508323&lon=-120.95947265625&site=pdt&smap=1&marine=1&unit=0&lg=en

NOAA (Weather Service) river gauge at Cliffdell http://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/river/station/flowplot/flowplot.cgi?CLFW1



WSDOT Update

WSDOT and contractor crews are getting closer to making their deadline to have the SR 410 winter-durable detour finished by Thanksgiving. Starting on Monday, Nov. 23, crews will start paving the 4,000-foot-long section of the detour. Paving should be complete by Wednesday, Nov. 25. However, crews will still have some work to finish. On Monday, Nov. 30, crews will install guardrail, signs, and guideposts.WSDOT reminds motorists to please drive with caution and be prepared for delays associated with construction operations. WSDOT, Yakima County, our agency partners, and Selland Construction have accomplished remarkable feats within one month. Because of these partnerships, and the patience and understanding of Nile Valley residents, drivers have a safe, reliable, and durable transportation route around the Nile Valley landslide. Chinook Pass is closed for the season from Morse Creek (five miles east of the summit) to Crystal Mountain Boulevard (eight miles northwest of the summit). Access to the Crystal Mountain Ski Resort from SR 410 remains open. WSDOT is seeking federal emergency funding for the landslide emergency response, detour construction, and river channel work. The total cost is estimated to be as much as $8 million.

Informational Websites that are potentially pertinent to you: There is a lot of information out there. Please take a look and see if any applies to you.

-NEW-Applicants may also apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure Web site at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

Disaster loan information and application forms may also be obtained from SBA’s Customer Service Center by calling toll-free (800) 659‑2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s Web site at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance.

Hearing impaired individuals may call (800) 877‑8339. Yakima County Public Services Flood Control Zone District Flood Preparedness Information http://www.yakimacounty.us/SurfaceWater/FloodPreparedness.htm

WSDOT Website with road and slide information http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/News/2009/10/23-WSDOT+begins+building+SR+410+detour.htm

Yakima Valley Office of Emergency Management Blog http://www.yak-oem.blogspot.com/

NOAA National Weather Forecast for 8 miles east of Cliffdell. http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=46.86394700508323&lon=-120.95947265625&site=pdt&smap=1&marine=1&unit=0&lg=en NOAA (Weather Service) river gauge at Cliffdell http://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/river/station/flowplot/flowplot.cgi?CLFW1 WA

State Emergency Management Personal, Family, and Pet Preparedness Information http://www.emd.wa.gov/preparedness/prep_personal_preparedness.shtml




Monday, November 23, 2009

HWY 410 Landslides/ Nile Community Update-NOV. 23, 2009



HWY 410 Landslides/ Nile Community Update-NOV. 23, 2009

Naches, WASH-11/23/09

Bureau of Reclamation

The Bureau of Reclamation plans to make several incremental increases in Bumping Reservoir outflows beginning Monday morning, Nov 23. These increases will begin reaching the Naches River at Cliffdell sometime after 12:00 hours (noon) Monday and begin reaching the work site sometime after 15:00 hours (most likely later) Monday afternoon. Each 50 cfs increase will increase the stage on the Naches River at Cliffdell by about 3/4 inch or less. The total increase will likely be 150 to 300 cfs based on conditions and the NWS forecast at the time. They will plan to make additional adjustments Tuesday or Wednesday, November 24 or 25.


Upcoming Events-


The Department of EMS will be having a “Holiday Yard Sale” inside the Glenwood Square Mall hallways on December 11th & 12th. Donations of gift items, and arts and crafts, that are to be sold during the event, are being accepted now through December 10th at the EMS office. All proceeds go to their Nile Valley Community Fund. They are located at: Yakima County Department of Emergency Medical Services Glenwood Square Mall, 5110 Tieton Drive, Suite 370, Yakima, Washington 98908-Tel. (509) 966-5175 Fax (509) 966-5176.

NWS Pendleton Forecast for 8 Miles SE Cliffdell, WA

A large scale weather system will be working through the Pacific Northwest over the next several days. The warm front ahead of the system will push through tonight with snow levels rising to 5000 feet with a mix of rain and snow overnight. Then snow levels fall back to 3000 feet by late Friday and lower through the weekend as several more parts of the system work through. The active pattern continues into early next week.

Tonight - snow level 5000 feet, precipitation 0.10 to 0.25 Friday - snow level back to 3000 feet, precipitation 10 to 0.25 Friday night - Saturday night - snow levels 1500-2000 feet, precipitation of 0.50 to 0.75 Sunday - snow level 1500-2000, precipitation 0.20.

Naches River near Cliffdell-
Currently around 620 cfs. It is expected to rise to between 720-750 cfs (near flood stage) by Friday morning and decrease back to around 630 by Friday night and slowly recede during the coming weekend.



WSDOT Update

WSDOT and contractor crews are getting closer to making their deadline to have the SR 410 winter-durable detour finished by Thanksgiving. Starting on Monday, Nov. 23, crews will start paving the 4,000-foot-long section of the detour. Paving should be complete by Wednesday, Nov. 25. However, crews will still have some work to finish. On Saturday, Nov. 28, crews will install guardrail, signs, and guideposts.WSDOT reminds motorists to please drive with caution and be prepared for delays associated with construction operations. WSDOT, Yakima County, our agency partners, and Selland Construction have accomplished remarkable feats within one month. Because of these partnerships, and the patience and understanding of Nile Valley residents, drivers have a safe, reliable, and durable transportation route around the Nile Valley landslide. Chinook Pass is closed for the season from Morse Creek (five miles east of the summit) to Crystal Mountain Boulevard (eight miles northwest of the summit). Access to the Crystal Mountain Ski Resort from SR 410 remains open. WSDOT is seeking federal emergency funding for the landslide emergency response, detour construction, and river channel work. The total cost is estimated to be as much as $8 million.

Informational Websites that are potentially pertinent to you: There is a lot of information out there. Please take a look and see if any applies to you.


-NEW-Applicants may also apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure Web site at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. Disaster loan information and application forms may also be obtained from SBA’s Customer Service Center by calling toll-free (800) 659‑2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s Web site at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance. Hearing impaired individuals may call (800) 877‑8339. Yakima County Public Services Flood Control Zone District Flood Preparedness Information http://www.yakimacounty.us/SurfaceWater/FloodPreparedness.htm WSDOT Website with road and slide information http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/News/2009/10/23-WSDOT+begins+building+SR+410+detour.htm

Yakima Valley Office of Emergency Management Blog http://www.yak-oem.blogspot.com/

NOAA National Weather Forecast for 8 miles east of Cliffdell. http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=46.86394700508323&lon=-120.95947265625&site=pdt&smap=1&marine=1&unit=0&lg=en NOAA (Weather Service) river gauge at Cliffdell http://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/river/station/flowplot/flowplot.cgi?CLFW1 WA

State Emergency Management Personal, Family, and Pet Preparedness Information http://www.emd.wa.gov/preparedness/prep_personal_preparedness.shtml

Thursday, November 19, 2009

HWY 410 Landslides/ Nile Community Update-NOV. 19, 2009




HWY 410 Landslides/ Nile Community Update-NOV. 19, 2009




Naches, WASH-11/19/09




TO NIGHT


Community Update meeting at the Nile Valley Community Church at 6 PM. Contact Steve Nevens at 658-2304 or stevenevens98937@gmail.com.


Also

Nile Community Appreciation Night Don and Kathy Forgey have donated the use of the American Homestead Event Center located at 5870 State Route 410,Naches WA, (Mile Post maker 111), to host the Nile Community Appreciation Night to thank the government agencies, construction companies, power, trucking outfits, construction workers, supplier's, and all the people who worked so hard to restore the valley. They will be having a Community Pot Luck Dinner starting at 6:00 PM, with live entertainment featuring Don Forgey, Paul Wilson and Tom Tyo. Anyone wishing to help organize this event please contact Steve Nevens at 658-2304 or stevenevens98937@gmail.com.


The Department of EMS will be having a “Holiday Yard Sale” inside the Glenwood Square Mall hallways on December 11th & 12th. Donations of gift items, and arts and crafts, that are to be sold during the event, are being accepted now through December 10th at the EMS office. All proceeds go to their Nile Valley Community Fund. They are located at: Yakima County Department of Emergency Medical Services Glenwood Square Mall,5110 Tieton Drive, Suite 370,Yakima, Washington 98908-Tel. (509) 966-5175 Fax (509) 966-5176.




USFWS Update


The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service were successful yesterday in saving more than 500 fish. When the county’s river diversion is complete the fish removal teams will use several techniques to safely catch fish stranded in the old river channel and release them back into unobstructed waters.




WSDOT Update


WSDOT is working with the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to remove stranded fish in collaboration with fish biologists from nine other agencies and groups. This work started on Nov. 18 and will wrap-up on Nov. 19. Fish removal teams are using several techniques to safely catch fish stranded in the old river channel and release them back into unobstructed waters six miles up stream.WSDOT shifted traffic onto the new 4,000-foot-long section of the SR 410 detour on Nov. 16. After the traffic shift, Yakima County crews cut through the old temporary detour road in two places to divert the river around the landslide to minimize erosion risks.
WSDOT reminds motorists to please drive with caution and be prepared for delays associated with construction operations. WSDOT, Yakima County, our agency partners, and Selland Construction have accomplished remarkable feats within one month. Because of these partnerships, and the patience and understanding of Nile Valley residents, drivers have a safe, reliable, and durable transportation route around the Nile Valley landslide. Chinook Pass is closed for the season from Morse Creek (five miles east of the summit) to Crystal Mountain Boulevard (eight miles northwest of the summit). Access to the Crystal Mountain Ski Resort from SR 410 remains open. WSDOT is seeking federal emergency funding for the landslide emergency response, detour construction, and river channel work. The total cost is estimated to be as much as $8 million.



Disaster Assistance


The U. S. Small Business Administration, announced that SBA will make low-interest working capital loans available to small businesses that suffered economically from the landslide that occurred October 10 near the community of Nile in Yakima County. Small, non-farm businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and most private, non-profit organizations of any size may qualify for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) of up to $2 million to help meet financial obligations and operating expenses which could have been met had the disaster not occurred. “Eligibility for these working capital loans is based on the financial impact of the disaster only and not on any actual property damage. These loans have an interest rate of 4 percent, a maximum term of 30 years, and are restricted to small businesses without the financial ability to offset the adverse impact without hardship,” said Nancy Porzio, SBA’s Acting Regional Administrator. Small, non-farm businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and most private, non-profit organizations of any size may qualify for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) of up to $2 million to help meet financial obligations and operating expenses which could have been met had the disaster not occurred. “Beginning Tuesday, November 17, from 9 am to 1 pm, SBA customer service representatives will be on hand at a SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center to issue loan applications, answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explain the application process and help each business owner complete their application,” Porzio continued. The center will be open on the days and times indicated. No appointment is necessary. The center is located at: Niles Valley Community Church Near the corner of Hwy 410 & Bedrock Lane 60 Bedrock Lane Naches, WA




NWS Pendleton Forecast for 8 Miles SE Cliffdell, WA


Most of the precipitation will be in the form of snow at the higher elevations, the exception is Thursday night, when warm air ahead of the front will cause snow levels to rise to 4000-4500 feet...but they will decrease to below 3000 feet by Friday night.

Thursday - snow level 3500 feet, precipitation 0.25 - 0.50 inches Thursday night - snow level 4000-4500 feet, precipitation 0.25 to 0.40 inches Friday - snow levels falling to 3000 feet, precipitation 0.50 inches Friday night - Monday, snow levels 2000 - 2500 feet.

The river has fallen below 750 cfs and is expected to decrease to 625 cfs by late Thursday. There is a rise to 700 cfs expected by late Friday, then slowly falling off through the weekend, reaching 600 cfs by late Monday..




Informational Websites that are potentially pertinent to you: There is a lot of information out there. Please take a look and see if any applies to you.


-NEW- Applicants may also apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure Web site at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. Disaster loan information and application forms may also be obtained from SBA’s Customer Service Center by calling toll-free (800) 659‑2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s Web site at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance. Hearing impaired individuals may call (800) 877‑8339. Yakima County Public Services Flood Control Zone District Flood Preparedness Information http://www.yakimacounty.us/SurfaceWater/FloodPreparedness.htm WSDOT Website with road and slide information http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/News/2009/10/23-WSDOT+begins+building+SR+410+detour.htm Yakima Valley Office of Emergency Management Blog http://www.yak-oem.blogspot.com/ NOAA National Weather Forecast for 8 miles east of Cliffdell. http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=46.86394700508323&lon=-120.95947265625&site=pdt&smap=1&marine=1&unit=0&lg=en NOAA (Weather Service) river gauge at Cliffdell http://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/river/station/flowplot/flowplot.cgi?CLFW1 WA State Emergency Management Personal, Family, and Pet Preparedness Information http://www.emd.wa.gov/preparedness/prep_personal_preparedness.shtml

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

HWY 410 Landslides/ Nile Community Update-NOV. 18, 2009

HWY 410 Landslides/ Nile Community Update-NOV. 18, 2009

Naches, WASH-11/18/09

USFWS Update
Today, Nov. 18, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) will coordinate a stranded fish removal effort in collaboration fish biologists from nine other agencies and groups. When the county’s river diversion is complete the fish removal teams will use several techniques to safely catch fish stranded in the old river channel and release them back into unobstructed waters.

WSDOT Update
Yakima County diverts river channel around landslide. Another major shift is in store for people who depend on an all-weather route through the Nile Valley, 22 miles west of Yakima. Due to forecasted flooding, WSDOT shifted traffic onto the 4,000-foot-long SR 410 detour on Monday, Nov. 16 at 8 p.m. after crews finished working for the day. After traffic was shifted, Yakima County started cutting through the current temporary detour in two places to divert the river away from the base of the landslide. Diverting the river around the landslide minimizes landslide erosion risks; a proactive measure to combat eventual increases in river flows. Diversion of the Naches River into the new river channel started on Tuesday, Nov. 17. The new detour moves the roadway away from the river channel and landslide, following the western edge of the Nile Valley. WSDOT reminds motorists to please drive with caution and be prepared for delays associated with construction operations. “WSDOT and our agency partners, along with Nile Valley residents and construction crews, have accomplished truly remarkable feats within a one month time frame,” said WSDOT Regional Administrator Don Whitehouse. “Because of these partnerships, drivers have a safe, reliable, and durable transportation route around the Nile Valley landslide.” “Everyone worked together under an incredibly tight timeline and against all odds to divert the river away from the slide to protect lives, property, infrastructure, and natural resources,” said Yakima County Public Services Director Vern Redifer. “That we have been successful is a testament to the professionalism and dedication of all those involved.” Chinook Pass is closed for the season from Morse Creek (five miles east of the summit) to Crystal Mountain Boulevard (eight miles northwest of the summit). Access to the Crystal Mountain Ski Resort from SR 410 remains open. WSDOT is seeking federal emergency funding for the landslide emergency response, detour construction, and river channel work. The total cost is estimated to be as much as $8 million.

Disaster Assistance

The U. S. Small Business Administration, announced that SBA will make low-interest working capital loans available to small businesses that suffered economically from the landslide that occurred October 10 near the community of Nile in Yakima County. Small, non-farm businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and most private, non-profit organizations of any size may qualify for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) of up to $2 million to help meet financial obligations and operating expenses which could have been met had the disaster not occurred. “Eligibility for these working capital loans is based on the financial impact of the disaster only and not on any actual property damage. These loans have an interest rate of 4 percent, a maximum term of 30 years, and are restricted to small businesses without the financial ability to offset the adverse impact without hardship,” said Nancy Porzio, SBA’s Acting Regional Administrator. Small, non-farm businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and most private, non-profit organizations of any size may qualify for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) of up to $2 million to help meet financial obligations and operating expenses which could have been met had the disaster not occurred. “Beginning Tuesday, November 17, from 9 am to 1 pm, SBA customer service representatives will be on hand at a SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center to issue loan applications, answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explain the application process and help each business owner complete their application,” Porzio continued. The center will be open on the days and times indicated. No appointment is necessary. The center is located at: Niles Valley Community Church Near the corner of Hwy 410 & Bedrock Lane 60 Bedrock Lane Naches, WA

Upcoming Events

Nile Community Appreciation Night Don and Kathy Forgey have donated the use of the American Homestead Event Center located at 5870 State Route 410,Naches WA, (Mile Post maker 111), to host the Nile Community Appreciation Night to thank the government agencies, construction companies, power, trucking outfits, construction workers, supplier's, and all the people who worked so hard to restore the valley. They will be having a Community Pot Luck Dinner starting at 6:00 PM, with live entertainment featuring Don Forgey, Paul Wilson and Tom Tyo. Anyone wishing to help organize this event please contact Steve Nevens at 658-2304 or stevenevens98937@gmail.com.
The Department of EMS will be having a “Holiday Yard Sale” inside the Glenwood Square Mall hallways on December 11th & 12th. Donations of gift items, and arts and crafts, that are to be sold during the event, are being accepted now through December 10th at the EMS office. All proceeds go to their Nile Valley Community Fund. They are located at: Yakima County Department of Emergency Medical Services Glenwood Square Mall,5110 Tieton Drive, Suite 370,Yakima, Washington 98908-Tel. (509) 966-5175 Fax (509) 966-5176.

NWS Pendleton Forecast for 8 Miles SE Cliffdell, WA

REST OF TODAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH RAIN LIKELY. HIGHS 39 TO 49. WEST WIND 10 TO 20 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 70 PERCENT. TONIGHT...MOSTLY CLOUDY. A CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS IN THE EVENING...THEN SNOW SHOWERS LIKELY OVERNIGHT. COLDER. SNOW ACCUMULATION AROUND 1 INCH. LOWS 24 TO 29. WEST WIND 5 TO 15 MPH. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 70 PERCENT. WEDNESDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 50 PERCENT CHANCE OF RAIN SHOWERS. SNOW LEVEL 2000 FEET. HIGHS 35 TO 42. SOUTH WIND 5 TO 15 MPH.

Informational Websites that are potentially pertinent to you: There is a lot of information out there. Please take a look and see if any applies to you.

-NEW- Applicants may also apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure Web site at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. Disaster loan information and application forms may also be obtained from SBA’s Customer Service Center by calling toll-free (800) 659‑2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s Web site at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance. Hearing impaired individuals may call (800) 877‑8339. Yakima County Public Services Flood Control Zone District Flood Preparedness Information http://www.yakimacounty.us/SurfaceWater/FloodPreparedness.htm WSDOT Website with road and slide information http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/News/2009/10/23-WSDOT+begins+building+SR+410+detour.htm Yakima Valley Office of Emergency Management Blog http://www.yak-oem.blogspot.com/ NOAA National Weather Forecast for 8 miles east of Cliffdell. http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=46.86394700508323&lon=-120.95947265625&site=pdt&smap=1&marine=1&unit=0&lg=en NOAA (Weather Service) river gauge at Cliffdell http://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/river/station/flowplot/flowplot.cgi?CLFW1 WA State Emergency Management Personal, Family, and Pet Preparedness Information http://www.emd.wa.gov/preparedness/prep_personal_preparedness.shtml

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

HWY 410 Landslides/ Nile Community Update-NOV. 17, 2009





HWY 410 Landslides/ Nile Community Update-NOV. 17, 2009


Naches, WASH-11/17/09

WSDOT Update
Yakima County diverts river channel around landslide. Another major shift is in store for people who depend on an all-weather route through the Nile Valley, 22 miles west of Yakima. Due to forecasted flooding, WSDOT shifted traffic onto the 4,000-foot-long SR 410 detour on Monday, Nov. 16 at 8 p.m. after crews finished working for the day. After traffic was shifted, Yakima County started cutting through the current temporary detour in two places to divert the river away from the base of the landslide. Diverting the river around the landslide minimizes landslide erosion risks; a proactive measure to combat eventual increases in river flows. Diversion of the Naches River into the new river channel started on Tuesday, Nov. 17. The new detour moves the roadway away from the river channel and landslide, following the western edge of the Nile Valley. WSDOT reminds motorists to please drive with caution and be prepared for delays associated with construction operations. “WSDOT and our agency partners, along with Nile Valley residents and construction crews, have accomplished truly remarkable feats within a one month time frame,” said WSDOT Regional Administrator Don Whitehouse. “Because of these partnerships, drivers have a safe, reliable, and durable transportation route around the Nile Valley landslide.” “Everyone worked together under an incredibly tight timeline and against all odds to divert the river away from the slide to protect lives, property, infrastructure, and natural resources,” said Yakima County Public Services Director Vern Redifer. “That we have been successful is a testament to the professionalism and dedication of all those involved.” Chinook Pass is closed for the season from Morse Creek (five miles east of the summit) to Crystal Mountain Boulevard (eight miles northwest of the summit). Access to the Crystal Mountain Ski Resort from SR 410 remains open. WSDOT is seeking federal emergency funding for the landslide emergency response, detour construction, and river channel work. The total cost is estimated to be as much as $8 million.

USFWS Update



On Wednesday, Nov. 18, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) will coordinate a stranded fish removal effort in collaboration fish biologists from nine other agencies and groups. When the county’s river diversion is complete the fish removal teams will use several techniques to safely catch fish stranded in the old river channel and release them back into unobstructed waters.

Disaster Assistance

The U. S. Small Business Administration, today announced that SBA will make low-interest working capital loans available to small businesses that suffered economically from the landslide that occurred October 10 near the community of Nile in Yakima County. Small, non-farm businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and most private, non-profit organizations of any size may qualify for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) of up to $2 million to help meet financial obligations and operating expenses which could have been met had the disaster not occurred. “Eligibility for these working capital loans is based on the financial impact of the disaster only and not on any actual property damage. These loans have an interest rate of 4 percent, a maximum term of 30 years, and are restricted to small businesses without the financial ability to offset the adverse impact without hardship,” said Nancy Porzio, SBA’s Acting Regional Administrator. Small, non-farm businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and most private, non-profit organizations of any size may qualify for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) of up to $2 million to help meet financial obligations and operating expenses which could have been met had the disaster not occurred. “Beginning Tuesday, November 17, from 9 am to 1 pm, SBA customer service representatives will be on hand at a SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center to issue loan applications, answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explain the application process and help each business owner complete their application,” Porzio continued. The center will be open on the days and times indicated. No appointment is necessary. The center is located at: Niles Valley Community Church Near the corner of Hwy 410 & Bedrock Lane 60 Bedrock Lane Naches, WA Upcoming Events- Nile Community Appreciation Night

Don and Kathy Forgey have donated the use of the American Homestead Event Center located at 5870 State Route 410,Naches WA, (Mile Post maker 111), to host the Nile Community Appreciation Night to thank the government agencies, construction companies, power, trucking outfits, construction workers, supplier's, and all the people who worked so hard to restore the valley. They will be having a Community Pot Luck Dinner starting at 6:00 PM, with live entertainment featuring Don Forgey, Paul Wilson and Tom Tyo. Anyone wishing to help organize this event please contact Steve Nevens at 658-2304 or stevenevens98937@gmail.com. The Department of EMS will be having a “Holiday Yard Sale” inside the Glenwood Square Mall hallways on December 11th & 12th. Donations of gift items, and arts and crafts, that are to be sold during the event, are being accepted now through December 10th at the EMS office. All proceeds go to their Nile Valley Community Fund. They are located at: Yakima County Department of Emergency Medical Services Glenwood Square Mall,5110 Tieton Drive, Suite 370,Yakima, Washington 98908-Tel. (509) 966-5175 Fax (509) 966-5176.

NWS Pendleton Forecast for 8 Miles SE Cliffdell, WA


REST OF TODAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH RAIN LIKELY. HIGHS 39 TO 49.
WEST WIND 10 TO 20 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION
70 PERCENT.
TONIGHT...MOSTLY CLOUDY. A CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS IN THE
EVENING...THEN SNOW SHOWERS LIKELY OVERNIGHT. COLDER. SNOW
ACCUMULATION AROUND 1 INCH. LOWS 24 TO 29. WEST WIND 5 TO 15 MPH.
CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 70 PERCENT.
WEDNESDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 50 PERCENT CHANCE OF RAIN
SHOWERS. SNOW LEVEL 2000 FEET. HIGHS 35 TO 42. SOUTH WIND 5 TO
15 MPH.

Informational Websites that are potentially pertinent to you: There is a lot of information out there. Please take a look and see if any applies to you.>





-
NEW- Applicants may also apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure Web site at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. Disaster loan information and application forms may also be obtained from SBA’s Customer Service Center by calling toll-free (800) 659‑2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s Web site at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance. Hearing impaired individuals may call (800) 877‑8339.

Yakima County Public Services Flood Control Zone District Flood Preparedness Information http://www.yakimacounty.us/SurfaceWater/FloodPreparedness.htm WSDOT Website with road and slide information http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/News/2009/10/23-WSDOT+begins+building+SR+410+detour.htm


Yakima Valley Office of Emergency Management Blog http://www.yak-oem.blogspot.com/


NOAA National Weather Forecast for 8 miles east of Cliffdell. http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=46.86394700508323&lon=-120.95947265625&site=pdt&smap=1&marine=1&unit=0&lg=en NOAA (Weather Service) river gauge at Cliffdell http://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/river/station/flowplot/flowplot.cgi?CLFW1 WA


State Emergency Management Personal, Family, and Pet Preparedness Information http://www.emd.wa.gov/preparedness/prep_personal_preparedness.shtml

Friday, November 13, 2009

HWY 410 Landslides/ Nile Community Update-NOV. 13, 2009





HWY 410 Landslides/ Nile Community Update-NOV. 13, 2009




Naches, WASH-11/13/09




Disaster Assistance




The U. S. Small Business Administration, today announced that SBA will make low-interest working capital loans available to small businesses that suffered economically from the landslide that occurred October 10 near the community of Nile in Yakima County. Small, non-farm businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and most private, non-profit organizations of any size may qualify for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) of up to $2 million to help meet financial obligations and operating expenses which could have been met had the disaster not occurred.

“Eligibility for these working capital loans is based on the financial impact of the disaster only and not on any actual property damage. These loans have an interest rate of 4 percent, a maximum term of 30 years, and are restricted to small businesses without the financial ability to offset the adverse impact without hardship,” said Nancy Porzio, SBA’s Acting Regional Administrator.

Small, non-farm businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and most private, non-profit organizations of any size may qualify for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) of up to $2 million to help meet financial obligations and operating expenses which could have been met had the disaster not occurred. “Beginning Tuesday, November 17, from 9 am to 1 pm, SBA customer service representatives will be on hand at a SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center to issue loan applications, answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explain the application process and help each business owner complete their application,” Porzio continued. The center will be open on the days and times indicated. No appointment is necessary. The center is located at:

Niles Valley Community Church
Near the corner of Hwy 410 & Bedrock Lane
60 Bedrock Lane
Naches, WA



Upcoming Events- Nile Community Appreciation Night


Don and Kathy Forgey have donated the use of the American Homestead Event Center located at 5870 State Route 410,Naches WA, (Mile Post maker 111), to host the Nile Community Appreciation Night to thank the government agencies, construction companies, power, trucking outfits, construction workers, supplier's, and all the people who worked so hard to restore the valley. They will be having a Community Pot Luck Dinner starting at 6:00 PM, with live entertainment featuring Don Forgey, Paul Wilson and Tom Tyo. Anyone wishing to help organize this event please contact Steve Nevens at 658-2304 or stevenevens98937@gmail.com.

The Department of EMS will be having a “Holiday Yard Sale” inside the Glenwood Square Mall hallways on December 11th & 12th. Donations of gift items, and arts and crafts, that are to be sold during the event, are being accepted now through December 10th at the EMS office. All proceeds go to their Nile Valley Community Fund. They are located at: Yakima County Department of Emergency Medical Services Glenwood Square Mall,5110 Tieton Drive, Suite 370,Yakima, Washington 98908-Tel. (509) 966-5175 Fax (509) 966-5176.


The Power Poles

The power poles on the far side of the valley are now up and conducting electricity.


NWS Pendleton Forecast for 8 Miles SE Cliffdell, WA




Friday / Friday night - Snow level 1500-2000 feet, 0.25-0.40 inches precipitation
Saturday-/Saturday night - snow level 2000-3000 feet,
Sunday / Sunday night - snow level 4000-4500 feet, 0.10 to 0.25 inches precipitation
Monday/ Monday night - snow level 5000-5500 feet, 0.25 precipitations.
Tuesday -/Wednesday - snow level 4000-5000 feet Thursday - 3500-4000

The Naches River at Cliffdell is forecast to remain around 350 cfs through the 16th (Monday). Then rise to about 400 cfs on Tuesday, and crest at around 425 cfs at Wednesday and then slowly recede.
Homeless Anyone who declares to be homeless as a result of the landslide can go to the one-stop Housing Resource Center at 107 South 6th Street for assistance. We are prepared to identify Nile residents as a priority as long as we have resources.


WSDOT Update




Starting Thursday or Friday (Nov. 12 or 13), crews will be hauling, placing, and compacting a gravel base for the realigned section of the SR 410 detour. A 4,000 foot section of the detour is being built across the valley and away from the river and landslide. There is much construction activity in the area, and drivers should use caution and expect delays associated with this work.


Over the weekend contractor, Selland Construction finished building most of the access trails on the landslide so WSDOT geotechs could bring in off-road drill rigs. For the next several months geotech crews will be drilling into the landslide to collect rock and soil samples. Geotechs will also be installing instruments to monitor movement and ground water levels in the landslide. This information will help them better understand the stability of the landslide and is an important start toward determining the ultimate location for a permanent SR 410.


WSDOT closed Chinook Pass for the season on Sunday, Nov. 8 due to heavy snow and unavoidable avalanche danger. Chinook Pass is closed from Morse Creek (five miles east of the summit) to Crystal Mountain Boulevard (eight miles northwest of the summit). Access to the Crystal Mountain Ski Resort from SR 410 remains open.


WSDOT is seeking federal emergency funding for the landslide emergency response, detour construction, and river channel work. The total cost is estimated to be as much as $8 million.




Informational Websites that are potentially pertinent to you: There is a lot of information out there. Please take a look and see if any applies to you.

-NEW-
Applicants may also apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure Web site at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

Disaster loan information and application forms may also be obtained from SBA’s Customer Service Center by calling toll-free (800) 659‑2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s Web site at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance. Hearing impaired individuals may call (800) 877‑8339.


Yakima County Public Services Flood Control Zone District Flood Preparedness Information http://www.yakimacounty.us/SurfaceWater/FloodPreparedness.htm

WSDOT Website with road and slide information http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/News/2009/10/23-WSDOT+begins+building+SR+410+detour.htm




Yakima Valley Office of Emergency Management Blog http://www.yak-oem.blogspot.com/








State Emergency Management Personal, Family, and Pet Preparedness Information http://www.emd.wa.gov/preparedness/prep_personal_preparedness.shtml

Thursday, November 12, 2009

HWY 410 Landslide/ Nile Community Update-NOV. 12, 2009



HWY 410 Landslide/ Nile Community Update-NOV. 12, 2009

Extra Generator?
Nile Community Organizer Steve Nevens is looking for generators that could be borrowed for the winter. If you have one that could be loaned out, Steve can be contacted at 658-2304.

Upcoming Events
There will be a community appreciation night on November 21st. It will be the Nile Communities way of saying thank you to everyone who has helped out during the disaster. Time and location will be announced soon.

The Department of EMS will be having a “Holiday Yard Sale” inside the Glenwood Square Mall hallways on December 11th & 12th. Donations of gift items, and arts and crafts, that are to be sold during the event, are being accepted now through December 10th at the EMS office. All proceeds go to their Nile Valley Community Fund. They are located at: Yakima County Department of Emergency Medical Services Glenwood Square Mall,5110 Tieton Drive, Suite 370,Yakima, Washington 98908-Tel. (509) 966-5175 Fax (509) 966-5176.

The Power Poles
According to the Nile Fire Department the power poles on the far side of the valley are now up and conducting electricity.

NWS Pendleton Forecast for 8 Miles SE Cliffdell, WA

There appears to be a brief break from precipitation Thursday night with a weak ridge. By late Friday, another low pressure system is expected to move into Washington with more high elevation snow and rain for the lower sites.

For Saturday and beyond, the models are indicating a flat ridge with the snow level dropping each day. With the flat ridge, several weather disturbances will move through the ridge with most of the moisture getting wrung out over the Cascades with normal late fall precipitation. Snow levels for Sunday through Tuesday will drop to 4000-4500 feet.

Through Wednesday night - snow levels 3000-3500 feet, precipitation 0.10 to 0.25 inches. Thursday - snow levels 2500-3000 feet, precipitation 0.10 to 0.25. Thursday night through Friday night - snow level 1500-2500, precipitation 0.25 to 0.40 inches

The Naches River near Cliffdell will see declining levels through the next week with flow at about 340 cfs on the 17th. Then we will see an increase to about 400 cfs on the 19th and 20th.


Homeless
Anyone who declares to be homeless as a result of the landslide can go to the one-stop Housing Resource Center at 107 South 6th Street for assistance. We are prepared to identify Nile residents as a priority as long as we have resources.

WSDOT Update

Starting Thursday or Friday (Nov. 12 or 13), crews will be hauling, placing, and compacting a gravel base for the realigned section of the SR 410 detour. A 4,000 foot section of the detour is being built across the valley and away from the river and landslide. There is much construction activity in the area, and drivers should use caution and expect delays associated with this work.


Over the weekend contractor, Selland Construction, finished building most of the access trails on the landslide so WSDOT geotechs could bring in off-road drill rigs. For the next several months geotech crews will be drilling into the landslide to collect rock and soil samples. Geotechs will also be installing instruments to monitor movement and ground water levels in the landslide.This information will help them better understand the stability of the landslide and is an important start toward determining the ultimate location for a permanent SR 410.


WSDOT closed Chinook Pass for the season on Sunday, Nov. 8 due to heavy snow and unavoidable avalanche danger. Chinook Pass is closed from Morse Creek (five miles east of the summit) to Crystal Mountain Boulevard (eight miles northwest of the summit). Access to the Crystal Mountain Ski Resort from SR 410 remains open.


WSDOT is seeking federal emergency funding for the landslide emergency response, detour construction, and river channel work. The total cost is estimated to be as much as $8 million.

Informational Websites that are potentially pertinent to you: There is a lot of information out there. Please take a look and see if any applies to you.


Yakima County Public Services Flood Control Zone District Flood Preparedness Information
http://www.yakimacounty.us/SurfaceWater/FloodPreparedness.htm

WSDOT Website with road and slide information
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/News/2009/10/23-WSDOT+begins+building+SR+410+detour.htm

Yakima Valley Office of Emergency Management Blog
http://www.yak-oem.blogspot.com/

NOAA National Weather Forecast for 8 miles east of Cliffdell.
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=46.86394700508323&lon=-120.95947265625&site=pdt&smap=1&marine=1&unit=0&lg=en

NOAA (Weather Service) river gauge at Cliffdell
http://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/river/station/flowplot/flowplot.cgi?CLFW1

WA State Emergency Management Personal, Family, and Pet Preparedness Information http://www.emd.wa.gov/preparedness/prep_personal_preparedness.shtml

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

HWY 410 Landslide/ Nile Community Update-NOV. 10, 2009



HWY 410 Landslide/ Nile Community Update-NOV. 10, 2009

Upcoming Events
There will be a community appreciation night on November 21st. It will be the Nile Communities way of saying thank you to everyone who has helped out during the disaster. Time and location will be announced soon.

The Department of EMS will be having a “Holiday Yard Sale” inside the Glenwood Square Mall hallways on December 11 & 12. Donations of gift items, and arts and crafts, that are to be sold during the event, are being accepted now through December 10 at the EMS office. All proceeds go to their Nile Valley Community Fund.

Veteran’s Day

County Offices will be closed. Tell a Veteran thank you for their service!

NWS Pendleton for 8 Miles SE Cliffdell, WA
There continues to be a large trough of low pressure off the NW coast that will bring in periods of showers through Thursday, as is moves into Oregon. There appears to be a brief break from precipitation Thursday night with a weak ridge. By late Friday, another low pressure system is expected to move into Washington with more high elevation snow and rain for the lower sites.

For Saturday and beyond, the models are indicating a flat ridge with the snow level dropping each day. With the flat ridge, several weather disturbances will move through the ridge with most of the moisture getting wrung out over the Cascades with normal late fall precipitation. Snow levels for Sunday through Tuesday will drop to 4000-4500 feet.

Through Wednesday night - snow levels 3000-3500 feet, precipitation 0.10 to 0.25 inches. Thursday - snow levels 2500-3000 feet, precipitation 0.10 to 0.25. Thursday night through Friday night - snow level 1500-2500, precipitation 0.25 to 0.40 inches

The Naches River near Cliffdell will see declining levels through the next week with flow at about 340 cfs on the 17. Then we will see an increase to about 400 cfs on the 19 and 20.


Cell Tower
This question is being asked again. The cell tower or COW (cell on wheels) is a temporary solution. US Cellular is doing this to assist the community in its hour of need. There is talk of a permanent towers being installed by 2011 or 2012.

Homeless
Anyone who declares to be homeless as a result of the landslide can go to the one-stop Housing Resource Center at 107 South 6th Street for assistance. We are prepared to identify Nile residents as a priority as long as we have resources.

WSDOT Update

Since Friday, Nov. 6, Chinook Pass has received more than three feet of snow. More snow is forecast which will only increase the avalanche danger. The SR 410 Chinook Pass closure points are at Morse Creek (five miles east of the summit) and at Crystal Mountain Boulevard (eight miles northwest of the summit). Access to the Crystal Mountain Ski Resort from SR 410 remains open. Additionally, WSDOT and Mount Rainier National Park staff agreed to close SR 123 (Cayuse Pass) for the season. SR 123 is closed within Mount Rainier National Park from the 4,675-foot Cayuse Pass summit at the junction of SR 410 and SR 123 to Steven Canyon Road. WSDOT and contractor crews are still working hard seven days a week, 14 hours a day despite cold, rainy, and sometimes snowy conditions in order to open the SR 410 winter-durable temporary detour to traffic by Thanksgiving. Today, crews are graveling the 4,000 foot section of the detour, which is being built across the valley and away from the river and landslide. Drivers will experience delays associated with this work. On Thursday, Nov. 5, crews finished paving the western two-and-a-half miles of Nile Loop road. Over the weekend our contractor, Selland Construction, finished building a majority of the access trails on the landslide. WSDOT getotech crews will start using the trails today to bring in off-road drill rigs and start drilling into the landslide to collect rock and soil samples. Geotechs will also be installing instruments to monitor movement and water accumulation in the landslide. This information will help us better understand the stability of the landslide and is an important start toward determining the ultimate location for a permanent SR 410.It will take geotechs about three months to finish their drilling operations on the landslide.WSDOT closed Chinook Pass for the season on Sunday, Nov. 8 due to heavy snow and unavoidable avalanche danger. Chinook Pass is closed from Morse Creek (five miles east of the summit) to Crystal Mountain Boulevard (eight miles northwest of the summit). Access to the Crystal Mountain Ski Resort from SR 410 remains open.

Gov. Gregoire Asks Federal Officials for More Time
The Washington Governor is asking federal officials for more time to assess damage from the Oct. 11 Nile Valley landslide for a possible federal disaster declaration. The request to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for a 30-day extension until Dec. 9 is likely to be approved, state officials said. At the same time, Gregoire asked the federal Small Business Administration to declare an economic injury disaster for businesses that have suffered losses as a result of the slide.

Five businesses along State Route 410 suffered substantial economic injury from the slide, which initially closed off access for motorists and residents.
The anticipated disaster declaration would make businesses eligible for low-interest loans to deal with their losses. Both letters went out yesterday, according to a governor's spokeswoman.

Rob Harper, public information officer for the state Emergency Management Division, said the additional time will allow for a better review of the impacts the slide had on public roads and other facilities. "We have to look more at the public sector piece of that and figure out what is going to be the extent of the work," he said.

Cost of such work must reach a threshold of $7.6 million before a request can be made for a federal disaster declaration. The state Emergency Management Division already has concluded that the uninsured loss of nine homes isn't sufficient for the owners to receive federal help.

Informational Websites that are potentially pertinent to you: There is a lot of information out there. Please take a look and see if any applies to you.
(NEW) Yakima County Public Services Flood Control Zone District Flood Preparedness Information
http://www.yakimacounty.us/SurfaceWater/FloodPreparedness.htm
WSDOT Website with road and slide information
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/News/2009/10/23-WSDOT+begins+building+SR+410+detour.htm

Yakima Valley Office of Emergency Management Blog KR Catlin is updating this daily
http://www.yak-oem.blogspot.com/

NOAA National Weather Forecast for 8 miles east of Cliffdell.
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=46.86394700508323&lon=-120.95947265625&site=pdt&smap=1&marine=1&unit=0&lg=en

NOAA (Weather Service) river gauge at Cliffdell
http://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/river/station/flowplot/flowplot.cgi?CLFW1

WA State Emergency Management Personal, Family, and Pet Preparedness Information http://www.emd.wa.gov/preparedness/prep_personal_preparedness.shtml

Monday, November 9, 2009

HWY 410 Landslide/ Nile Community Update-NOV.9, 2009





HWY 410 Landslide/ Nile Community Update-NOV. 9, 2009

NWS Pendleton Forecast for 8 Miles SE Cliffdell, WA
This Afternoon: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 45. South wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.Tonight: Showers likely, mainly before 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 31. South southwest wind between 3 and 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 45. West southwest wind around 7 mph. Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 29. Southwest wind around 6 mph. Veterans Day: A chance of rain showers. Snow level 3200 feet. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 42. Southwest wind between 3 and 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.Wednesday Night: A chance of snow showers. Snow level 3300 feet. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 27. Chance of precipitation is 40%

Cell Tower
This question is being asked again. The cell tower or COW (cell on wheels) is a temporary solution. US Cellular is doing this to assist the community in its hour of need. There is talk of a permanent towers being installed by 2011 or 2012.

Department of EMS Starts Fund
Local elected officials and others are working hard to find additional funding sources for the Nile residents and gain access to support that they so desperately need. The staff of the Department of EMS is hoping to provide some immediate assistance. An account has been established and is located at the Yakima Valley Credit Union entitled the “Nile Landslide Fund”. Monetary donations to the Nile Landslide Fund will be managed by the Assistant Fire Chief Steve Smith.

In addition, the Department of EMS will be having a “Holiday Yard Sale” inside the Glenwood Square Mall hallways on December 11th & 12th. Donations of gift items, and arts and crafts, that are to be sold during the event, are being accepted now through December 10th at the EMS office.


Homeless
Anyone who declares to be homeless as a result of the landslide can go to the one-stop Housing Resource Center at 107 South 6th Street for assistance. We are prepared to identify Nile residents as a priority as long as we have resources.

WSDOT Update
Due to heavy snow accumulation on the roadway, WSDOT crews temporarily closed Chinook Pass just after 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7. WSDOT avalanche forecasters assessed the stability of the hillside on Sunday morning, Nov. 8 and determined the avalanche risk is too great to allow traffic to safely cross Chinook Pass and Cayuse Pass.

Since Friday, Nov. 6, Chinook Pass has received more than three feet of snow. More snow is forecast which will only increase the avalanche danger. The SR 410 Chinook Pass closure points are at Morse Creek (five miles east of the summit) and at Crystal Mountain Boulevard (eight miles northwest of the summit). Access to the Crystal Mountain Ski Resort from SR 410 remains open. Additionally, WSDOT and Mount Rainier National Park staff agreed to close SR 123 (Cayuse Pass) for the season. SR 123 is closed within Mount Rainier National Park from the 4,675-foot Cayuse Pass summit at the junction of SR 410 and SR 123 to Steven Canyon Road.


WSDOT and contractor crews are still working hard seven days a week, 14 hours a day despite cold, rainy, and sometimes snowy conditions in order to open the SR 410 winter-durable temporary detour to traffic by Thanksgiving. Today, crews are graveling the 4,000 foot section of the detour, which is being built across the valley and away from the river and landslide. Drivers will experience delays associated with this work.

On Thursday, Nov. 5, crews finished paving the western two-and-a-half miles of Nile Loop road. Over the weekend our contractor, Selland Construction, finished building a majority of the access trails on the landslide. WSDOT getotech crews will start using the trails today to bring in off-road drill rigs and start drilling into the landslide to collect rock and soil samples. Geotechs will also be installing instruments to monitor movement and water accumulation in the landslide. This information will help us better understand the stability of the landslide and is an important start toward determining the ultimate location for a permanent SR 410.It will take geotechs about three months to finish their drilling operations on the landslide.


Informational Websites that are potentially pertinent to you: There is a lot of information out there. Please take a look and see if any applies to you.
(NEW) Yakima County Public Services Flood Control Zone District Flood Preparedness Information
http://www.yakimacounty.us/SurfaceWater/FloodPreparedness.htm
WSDOT Website with road and slide information
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/News/2009/10/23-WSDOT+begins+building+SR+410+detour.htm

Yakima Valley Office of Emergency Management Blog KR Catlin is updating this daily
http://www.yak-oem.blogspot.com/

NOAA National Weather Forecast for 8 miles east of Cliffdell.
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=46.86394700508323&lon=-120.95947265625&site=pdt&smap=1&marine=1&unit=0&lg=en

NOAA (Weather Service) river gauge at Cliffdell
http://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/river/station/flowplot/flowplot.cgi?CLFW1

WA State Emergency Management Personal, Family, and Pet Preparedness Information http://www.emd.wa.gov/preparedness/prep_personal_preparedness.shtml

Friday, November 6, 2009

HWY 410 Landslide/ Nile Community Update-NOV. 6, 2009



HWY 410 Landslide/ Nile Community Update-NOV. 6, 2009
Naches, WASH-NOV. 6, 2009

Department of EMS Starts Fund
Local elected officials and others are working hard to find additional funding sources for the Nile residents and gain access to support that they so desperately need. The staff of the Department of EMS is hoping to provide some immediate assistance. An account has been established and is located at the Yakima Valley Credit Union entitled the “Nile Landslide Fund”. Monetary donations to the Nile Landslide Fund will be managed by the Assistant Fire Chief Steve Smith.

In addition, the Department of EMS will be having a “Holiday Yard Sale” inside the Glenwood Square Mall hallways on December 11th & 12th. Donations of gift items, and arts and crafts, that are to be sold during the event, are being accepted now through December 10th at the EMS office.

Briefing for the W.V. O. A. D.
Steve Nevens and K.R. Catlin provided a briefing on the needs of the citizens of the Nile Valley to the Washington Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster by tele-conference on Wednesday the 4th. The physical meeting of the organization was taking place in western Washington. The tele-conference provided an opportunity to bring in possible private resources from the west side of the state.

Cliffdell River Gauge
At 8 AM this morning the gauge for the river was reading 490 cfs. This is well below what was predicted yesterday. To ensure there is no confusion on what the “More Durable Road” and the “Temporary Road” can withstand, the following is what was discussed at last night’s community meeting.
The “Temporary Road” which is the current SR 410 detour would become a concern at river levels of 1,700 cfs. The “More Durable Road”, which is under construction at the edge of the valley, will be the future SR 410 detour, is being built to meet the 100 year flood

Cell Tower
This is a reminder that the US Cellular tower is temporary. US Cellular is providing this service to assist the community in a time of need. A big "Thank You" goes out to them! Long range plans for permanent towers could be acted upon by 2011 or 2012.

Follow-up on Activity Behind the Barricade
An emergency order from the Washington Department of Natural Resources says any excavation at the Simmons and Son gravel pit could set off another landslide and poses "an immediate danger to the public health, safety or welfare or the environment." The Federal Mine, Safety & Health Administration also issued a similar order, prohibiting anyone from entering the mine site. According to the DNR order, the owners of the site had started clearing away debris from the toe of the landslide in preparation to begin mining again.

Homeless
Anyone who declares to be homeless as a result of the landslide can go to the one-stop Housing Resource Center at 107 South 6th Street for assistance. We are prepared to identify Nile residents as a priority as long as we have resources.

WSDOT Update
Conditions: Chinook Pass-Restrictions Eastbound: Compact snow and ice.Traction tires required, chains required on vehicles over 10,000 gross vehicle weight. Oversize vehicles prohibited. Restrictions westbound: Traction tires required, chains required on vehicles over 10,000 gross vehicle weight. Oversize vehicles prohibited.


The current SR 410 emergency access route on Nile Loop Road is open to all drivers. The route detours around the closed four-mile section of SR 410 between mileposts 104 and 108. Drivers will encounter delays associated with construction this week in several locations. Crews have started paving a two-and-a-half mile section of the west end of the SR 410 detour on Nile Loop Road. Information updates are available at 509-577-1635 or 5-1-1.


On Thursday, Nov. 5 WSDOT and contractor crews started building rough access trails to access the landslide that demolished SR 410 with millions of cubic yards of debris three weeks ago. These trails will allow geotechnical experts to bring in off-road drill rigs. Geotechs anticipate moving the drill rigs onto the slide early next week to collect rock and soil samples and to install instruments to monitor movement and water accumulation in the landslide. This information will help them better understand the stability of the landslide and is an important start toward determining the ultimate location for a permanent SR 410. Contractor crews finished paving and striping the western two-and-a-half miles of Nile Loop Road. Crews are still working seven days a week, 14 hours a day to build a 4,000 foot section of the detour across the valley and away from the river and landslide. WSDOT's contractor, Selland Construction, Inc., is using 21 pieces of heavy equipment and 12 dump trucks as they work to complete the winter-durable temporary detour by Thanksgiving. Drivers using the detour route may experience delays associated with construction activities.


Informational Websites that are potentially pertinent to you: There is a lot of information out there. Please take a look and see if any applies to you.
(NEW) Yakima County Public Services Flood Control Zone District Flood Preparedness Information
http://www.yakimacounty.us/SurfaceWater/FloodPreparedness.htm
WSDOT Website with road and slide information
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/News/2009/10/23-WSDOT+begins+building+SR+410+detour.htm

Yakima Valley Office of Emergency Management Blog KR Catlin is updating this daily
http://www.yak-oem.blogspot.com/

NOAA National Weather Forecast for 8 miles east of Cliffdell.
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=46.86394700508323&lon=-120.95947265625&site=pdt&smap=1&marine=1&unit=0&lg=en

NOAA (Weather Service) river gauge at Cliffdell
http://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/river/station/flowplot/flowplot.cgi?CLFW1
WA State Emergency Management Personal, Family, and Pet Preparedness Information http://www.emd.wa.gov/preparedness/prep_personal_preparedness.shtml

Thursday, November 5, 2009

HWY 410 Landslide/ Nile Community Update-NOV. 5, 2009



HWY 410 Landslide/ Nile Community Update-NOV. 5, 2009

Naches, WASH- NOV.5, 2009


Nile Community Meeting
Today, November 5th at 6 PM, there will be a community update meeting at the Nile Community Church.

Be Advised!
The Naches River near Cliffdell gage site, the river is expected to rise to near 800 cfs by late Friday afternoon. This is twice what the river has been running at. Our office will be following the situation closely.

NWS Pendleton Report for Nile/ Clifdell

(This was given to us from Marilyn Lohmann at NWS Pendleton)

Current trends indicate that the rain will be moving into the region by late Thursday along the warm front. Rain is expected overnight Thursday with a cold front to move through Friday morning. Behind the front, we will continue to see west to southwest flow with periods of rain through Friday; the precipitation is expected to become more showers Friday night and Saturday as a cool trough of low pressure moves over the area. Currently, the models are indicating a flat ridge on Sunday and
into Monday with the next system to move into the area Tuesday.

Thursday night - 0.50-0.90 inches of rain expected. Snow level 5000 ft.
Friday - 0.25-0.50 inches precipitation. Snow level 4500-5000 ft Friday night - 0.10-0.25 inches precipitation. Snow level 3400-4000 ft Saturday - 0.25-0.35 inches precipitation. Snow level 3500-4000 ft.

For the Naches River near Cliffdell gage site, the river is expected to rise to near 800 cfs by late Friday afternoon. It is then expected to slowly recede to about 660 cfs by late Saturday and fall further to 630 by late Sunday and to near 600 by late Monday.
The trend is then to fluctuate between 550 to 600 Tuesday and Wednesday.

If you have any questions please call 541-276-7832 ext239

Homeless
Anyone who declares they to be homeless as a result of the landslide can go to the one-stop Housing Resource Center at 107 South 6th Street for assistance. We are prepared to identify Nile residents as a priority as long as we have resources.

WSDOT Update
Conditions: State Route 410 is open with detour between milepost 104 to milepost 108. The emergency detour route has been opened to all drivers, and is a rough, gravel-surfaced road. Crews continue work on portions of the detour and drivers on this emergency route could experience long delays due to construction activities. WSDOT could close the roadway for the safety of drivers at anytime. Information updates are available at 509-577-1635 or 511.Key Issues This Week:
• Complete subgrade on detour route
• Paving the detour route
• Continued work on re-channelization of the river

Light rain/snow are forecast for today and Friday. Depending on the weather, crews will finish paving the western tow-and-a -half miles of Nile Loop Road by the end of this week. WSDOT's contractor, Selland Construction, Inc., is using 21 pieces of heavy equipment and 12 dump trucks as they work to complete the winter-durable temporary detour by Thanksgiving.
Drivers using the detour route may experience delays associated with construction activities.

WSDOT is seeking federal emergency funding for the landslide emergency response, detour construction, and river channel work. The total cost is estimated to be as much as $8 million.

Informational Websites that are potentially pertinent to you: There is a lot of information out there. Please take a look and see if any applies to you.


(NEW) Yakima County Public Services Flood Control Zone District Flood Preparedness Information
http://www.yakimacounty.us/SurfaceWater/FloodPreparedness.htm
WSDOT Website with road and slide information
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/News/2009/10/23-WSDOT+begins+building+SR+410+detour.htm

Yakima Valley Office of Emergency Management Blog KR Catlin is updating this daily
http://www.yak-oem.blogspot.com/

NOAA National Weather Forecast for 8 miles east of Cliffdell.
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=46.86394700508323&lon=-120.95947265625&site=pdt&smap=1&marine=1&unit=0&lg=en

NOAA (Weather Service) river gauge at Cliffdell
http://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/river/station/flowplot/flowplot.cgi?CLFW1

WA State Emergency Management Personal, Family, and Pet Preparedness Information http://www.emd.wa.gov/preparedness/prep_personal_preparedness.shtml

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Community Update Meeting November 5th


Community Update Meeting on the HWY 410 Landslide
Naches, WASH-NOV.4 , 2009
There will be a citizens meeting at the Nile Community Church at 6 P.M. on Thursday, November 5th. Updates will be shared with Nile Valley residents by various state and county agencies. For more information Steve Nevens can be contacted by phone at the Nile Community Church (658-2904) or by email stevenevens98937@gmail.com .

HWY 410 Landslide/ Nile Community Update-NOV. 4, 2009






HWY 410 Landslide/ Nile Community Update-NOV. 4, 2009
Naches, WASH-NOV. 4, 2009

Nile Community Meeting
Thursday November 5th at 6 PM, there will be a community update meeting at the Nile Community Church.

Mail Boxes
A rumor has been going around that the contractors would be giving each resident on the Nile Valley Loop road a new mail box. It was confirmed this is not the case. New “posts” for mailboxes have been installed in some places, but there is no contracted agreement to give residents new mail boxes.
Temporary Cell Tower
It is up and working!

NWS Pendleton Report for Nile/ Clifdell

(This was given to us from Marilyn Lohmann at NWS Pendleton)

Wednesday - It should be dry with weak ridging over the area.
Wednesday night- a warm front will approach the coast with precipitation spreading inland overnight.
Thursday and Thursday night - The warm front will be over the region and bring a good dose of precipitation. Snow levels will still be fairly high about 6500 feet Thursday lowering to about 4000 feet by Friday morning. Precipitation amounts of 0.25 inches are expected Thursday and then 0.50 to 0.90 Thursday night.
Friday - A cold front move through with snow level around 4000-4500 feet. The Cascade crest could see another 0.50 to 0.60 of precipitation with the snow level 3500-4000 feet Friday night. Saturday - the upper flow become more southwest ahead of a low pressure area that will move through Saturday night/Sunday.
Could see 0.25 to 0.50 precipitation during this time with snow levels around 4000 feet.
Sunday - Cool with showers up to 0.25 inches. snow level 4000 feet.
Monday/Tuesday - another system looks to be heading inland with west to southwest flow. However snow levels remain 3500-4000 feet with most of the precipitation as snow.
The models have been slowing down each new run, so I have lower confidence in the timing for Monday/Tuesday.

In regards to the river...the flow is expected to rise quickly on Friday, reaching about 680 cfs by late Friday. It will remain between 650 and 680 through Sunday with a little drop and another rise through the period. The river is then expected to decrease to about 525 cfs by late next Tuesday as the colder air keeps the runoff locked up in snow.

If you have any questions please call 541-276-7832 ext239

WSDOT Update
Conditions:
State Route 410 is open with detour between milepost 104 to milepost 108. The emergency detour route has been opened to all drivers, and is a rough, gravel-surfaced road. Crews continue work on portions of the detour and drivers on this emergency route could experience long delays due to construction activities. WSDOT could close the roadway for the safety of drivers at anytime. Information updates are available at 509-577-1635 or 511.

Key Issues This Week:
• Complete subgrade on detour route
• Paving the detour route
• Continued work on re-channelization of the river

Informational Websites that are potentially pertinent to you:
There is a lot of information out there. Please take a look and see if any applies to you.

(NEW) Yakima County Public Services Flood Control Zone District Flood Preparedness Information
http://www.yakimacounty.us/SurfaceWater/FloodPreparedness.htm

WSDOT Website with road and slide information
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/News/2009/10/23-WSDOT+begins+building+SR+410+detour.htm

Yakima Valley Office of Emergency Management Blog KR Catlin is updating this daily
http://www.yak-oem.blogspot.com/

NOAA National Weather Forecast for 8 miles east of Cliffdell.
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=46.86394700508323&lon=-120.95947265625&site=pdt&smap=1&marine=1&unit=0&lg=en

NOAA (Weather Service) river gauge at Cliffdell
http://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/river/station/flowplot/flowplot.cgi?CLFW1

WA State Emergency Management Personal, Family, and Pet Preparedness Information http://www.emd.wa.gov/preparedness/prep_personal_preparedness.shtml

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

HWY 410 Landslide/ Nile Community-NOV. 03, 2009




HWY 410 Landslide/ Nile Community Update
Naches, WASH- NOV. 03, 2009

Nile Community Meeting
Thursday November 5th at 6 PM, there will be a community update meeting at the Nile Community Church.

Pendleton Weather
2 DAY FORCAST

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 49. West northwest wind at 7 mph becoming east southeast.

Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 29. Calm wind.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 49. Light and variable wind.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 35.

Cell Service Update
Yesterday evening the US Cellular COW was up and working at the Woodshed. You should have service on US Cell, Verizon, Sprint and Nextel phones. Thanks US Cell!!

WSDOT Update
Conditions:
State Route 410 is open with detour between milepost 104 to milepost 108. The emergency detour route has been opened to all drivers, and is a rough, gravel-surfaced road. Crews continue work on portions of the detour and drivers on this emergency route could experience long delays due to construction activities. WSDOT could close the roadway for the safety of drivers at anytime. Information updates are available at 509-577-1635 or 511.

Key Issues This Week
:
• Complete subgrade on detour route
• Start paving detour route
• Continued work on re-channelization of the river
Good weather is forecasted for this week, which means crews will be paving the western two-and-a-half miles of Nile Loop Road. Crews have already poured 1,800 tons of asphalt. WSDOT hopes to have paving complete by the end of this week. WSDOT's contractor is using 21 pieces of heavy equipment and 17 dump trucks as they work to complete the detour by Thanksgiving.
Other:
The region investigated the feasibility of using Pyramid Pass and the Little Naches
Road as an emergency evacuation route to reach the west side but determined this
is not a safe or feasible emergency route. With the minimal snowfall this last
week, the route has proven to be unsafe for use.

The Public Assistance (PA) Program.
At the request of a letter from Yakima County to the WA State Governor, the Public Assistance section will be working with the County to complete an Initial Damage Assessment to determine if a joint FEMA-State Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) is needed.
The PA damage thresholds are as follows:
• Yakima County $718,937
• WA State $7,603,416
-----------------------------
The State is starting the process to determine the extent of the damages which occurred in your County to public facilities during the incident period October 10, 2009 – to be determined.

Informational Websites that are potentially pertinent to you:
There is a lot of information out there. Please take a look and see if any applies to you.

(NEW) Yakima County Public Services Flood Control Zone District Flood Preparedness Information
http://www.yakimacounty.us/SurfaceWater/FloodPreparedness.htm
WSDOT Website with road and slide information
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/News/2009/10/23-WSDOT+begins+building+SR+410+detour.htm
WA State Emergency Management Personal, Family, and Pet Preparedness Information http://www.emd.wa.gov/preparedness/prep_personal_preparedness.shtml

Monday, November 2, 2009

HWY 410 Landslide/ Nile Community Update-Nov.2,2009



HWY 410 Landslide/ Nile Community Update-Nov.2,2009
NACHES, WASH-

Pendleton Weather


Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 48. Light south wind.

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 29. West northwest wind between 6 and 8 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 49. West northwest wind at 7 mph becoming east southeast.

Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 29. Calm wind.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 49. Light and variable wind.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 35.

Thursday: A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 55.

Thursday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35.

Friday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 50.

Friday Night: A slight chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37.

Saturday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 49.

Saturday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35.

Sunday: A slight chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 49.

Cell Service Update
The Office of Emergency Management has been “spurring” US Cellular for updates. Basically the time line they have promised for results has not materialized. In our conversations with them it has been explained that they are running into problems with making all the parts of system interface and work properly. We will continue to monitor the situation.

WSDOT Update
Conditions:
State Route 410 is open with detour between milepost 104 to milepost 108. The emergency detour route has been opened to all drivers, and is a rough, gravel-surfaced road. Crews continue work on portions of the detour and drivers on this emergency route could experience long delays due to construction activities. WSDOT could close the roadway for the safety of drivers at anytime. Information updates are available at 509-577-1635 or 5 1 1.Weather Today: Partly cloudy.

Key Issues Next Week• Complete subgrade on detour route
• Start paving detour route
• Continued work on re-channelization of the river

Road Design and Construction
Concurrent with the initial construction activities, the design of the 4,000-foot realigned detour section near the southwest Nile Valley wall was completed early in
the week. WSDOT and the contractor, Selland, are working 14 hour days, seven
days a week, to complete the construction of the SR 410 temporary detour to
provide a roadway that will withstand winter weather and increasing river flows.
The subgrade for the realigned section is 60% complete. Paving of the 2.5 mile
north section was delayed due to weather conditions, but we are optimistic that the
paving will be completed next week. As many as 32 contractor employees are on
the job, with an equipment list that includes 10 scrapers, five trackhoes, 17 dump
trucks, two backhoes, and four dozers. Fifteen of the 17 truck drivers are local to
the area.

Real Estate Activities
There are no changes from last week as all of the right-of-way for the new
temporary SR 410 detour on the southwest side of the valley, six parcels in total,
has been either purchased by Yakima County, or Rights of Entry have been
obtained to construct the new road.

Hydrology
WSDOT continues to support efforts by Yakima County and the U. S. Army Corps
of Engineers to construct the new Naches River channel prior to the anticipated
elevated river flows this winter. The new channel should be completed prior to
Thanksgiving. We are also conducting new analysis for a flood model for the Nile
Valley that will be available by mid November. The new flood model will allow
planning for future flood impacts based on the new channel.

Resource Agencies - Environmental
WSDOT continues to coordinate and communicate with resource agencies as we
construct the SR 410 detour road along the south valley wall. Actions include:

• Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will remove
stranded fish within Carmack Ditch.
• Washington State Department of Ecology will de-commission domestic
Wells of purchased homes.
• WSDOT will consult with U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) regarding the Endangered
Species Act.
• WSDOT will coordinate with the Yakama Nation and Department of
Archeology and Historic Preservation (DAHP) for an archaeological survey
on the SR 410 detour road and recommended cultural monitoring.

Geology
Monitoring the Slide

The GroundProbe radar unit arrived in Yakima as scheduled on Friday, October
23, 2009. The radar unit was set up at the Eagle Rock field site that afternoon and
was operational and collecting data that evening.

This monitoring site provides a clear and unobstructed view of the landslide area. A
communication link (via the Internet) between the radar unit and WSDOT’s
Geotechnical Division in Olympia will allow engineering geologists to monitor
radar output from their Olympia location. If the slide begins to move, the system
will immediately notify workers and engineers.

To date there appears to be no significant movement within the main body of the
landslide, although active rock fall from the bedrock rim and some minor raveling
of steeper slopes within the landslide is being detected.

Test Hole Drilling:
A comprehensive geotechnical site investigation plan has been completed. The
plan calls for drilling deep test holes at nine locations along three critical geologic cross-sections. The holes will be instrumented with slope inclinometer casing to monitor for ground movement within the test hole and piezometers to measure the location of groundwater. This information will provide the necessary subsurface information to fully develop the landslide failure models that are needed for further geotechnical stability analysis. The Geotechnical Division plans on meeting with region personnel early next week to make arrangements for a drill access road and drill pad construction. Once these are constructed, test hole drilling can commence.

Site Mapping:
Detailed surface mapping of the landslide was completed last week. Engineering
geologists from the Geotechnical Division spent three days mapping prominent
landslide features onto post-landslide air photo base maps utilizing mapping-grade
GPS to provide locations of these features. The data from this effort is being
compiled and analyzed for the purposes of developing a preliminary landslide
failure model that can be used for future geotechnical stability analysis. This
model won’t be complete until the planned test boring program has been
completed.

Supplementing this geologic field work, a draft landslide timeline has been
completed based on eyewitness account and University of Washington seismic
records of the landslide failure. The draft timeline confirms that the landslide
failed in a number of sections beginning in the late morning of Saturday, October
10, 2009, and culminating in the massive landslide failure in the early morning of
Sunday, October 11, 2009, a time period of approximately 18 hours. To complete
this timeline, additional interviews with eyewitnesses are planned once they are
located.

Other
The region investigated the feasibility of using Pyramid Pass and the Little Naches
Road as an emergency evacuation route to reach the west side but determined this
is not a safe or feasible emergency route. With the minimal snowfall this last
week, the route has proven to be unsafe for use.

Informational Websites that are potentially pertinent to you:
There is a lot of information out there. Please take a look and see if any applies to you.



(NEW) Yakima County Public Services Flood Control Zone District Flood Preparedness Information
http://www.yakimacounty.us/SurfaceWater/FloodPreparedness.htm


WSDOT Website with road and slide information
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/News/2009/10/23-WSDOT+begins+building+SR+410+detour.htm

Yakima Valley Office of Emergency Management Blog KR Catlin is updating this daily
http://www.yak-oem.blogspot.com/

NOAA National Weather Forecast for 8 miles east of Cliffdell.
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=46.86394700508323&lon=-120.95947265625&site=pdt&smap=1&marine=1&unit=0&lg=en NOAA (Weather Service) river gauge at Cliffdell
http://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/river/station/flowplot/flowplot.cgi?CLFW1

WA State Emergency Management Personal, Family, and Pet Preparedness Information http://www.emd.wa.gov/preparedness/prep_personal_preparedness.shtml