From: Hillary Lake [mailto:HLake@katu.

com]
Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2016 4:58 PM
To: Heider, Tim <THeider@co.clackamas.or.us>
Subject: North Clackamas Regional Flood Control Facility questions
Importance: High
Hi Tim,
My questions regarding the North Clackamas Regional Flood Control Facility are below. I believe this is in
the 3-Creeks Natural area, and is built in Mt. Scott Creek. As you mentioned in our phone conversation
today, I will expect answers by the end of the day on Monday, March 28, 2016.
-How does the flood control facility work?
-When was it built?
-Why was the facility built?
-Who is responsible for opening and closing the gates?
-Who is responsible for maintenance at the flood control facility?
-Are logs/records kept as to when the gates are opened and closed, and conditions on the creek at the
time?
-How do the gates open? (i.e. manually or remotely)
-When are the gates supposed to be closed?
-When are the gates supposed to be open?
-What would happen if the gates are left open when they are supposed to be closed?
-What would happen if the gates are closed when they are supposed to be open?
-What has been done to prevent flooding from happening in this area since the flood that occurred on
January 1, 2009?
-Was the flood on December 7, 2015 that affected the Lake Road Courtyard Apartments, and
surrounding neighborhood, the result of the gates at the flood control facility being left open when they
should have been closed?
-Was the flood on December 7, 2015 that affected the Lake Road Courtyard Apartments, and
surrounding neighborhood, the result of the gates at the flood control facility being closed when they
should have been left open?
-What could have prevented the 2009 flood?

-What could have prevented the 2015 flood?

-What work is scheduled to be done now to prevent, or reduce, future flooding in the neighborhood to
the south/southwest of the flood control facility?
-What comment does Clackamas County/Water Environment Services have about the legal action
already taken against the county and WES by Neil Sechan and Matthew Messner after the 2009 flood
(filed in 2011)?
-What comment does Clackamas County/Water Environment Services have about the legal action Neil
Sechan has indicated he is considering taking because of the flooding that occurred in 2015?
-Any additional information you would like to provide that would assist me in explaining to our viewers
how the flood control facility works, and it has flooded in the past, is greatly appreciated.

RESPONSE TO ABOVE QUESTIONS FROM CLACKAMAS COUNTY:

Clackamas Countys forward-thinking approach to naturally managing urban stormwater runoff
and streamside property flooding has enabled the Three Creeks Natural Area to provide
significant open space recreation, habitat, and critical floodplain function in Mt. Scott Creek.
Without this critical function, the localized flooding of downstream properties in the floodplain
would likely be worse.
Clackamas County Service District No.1 owns the Three Creeks Natural Area and its regional
detention facility. This fully automated facility was constructed around 2002 to provide
stormwater detention in the adjacent natural area. Water Environment Services maintains the
facility.
The facility generally consists of a containment berm, overflow weir (barrier to divert flow), and
operable outlet control gate structure, with stormwater storage provided by the backwater
created behind the berm.
Since the facility is fully automated; no manual operation is required. There is no data logging
equipment at the site, nor is there remote monitoring of the structures that operate the gates.
Onsite communication between mechanical floats downstream of the facility trigger the
automated movement of the control gates per design parameters. Water Environment Services
Operations staff inspect the floats and outlet control structure periodically, including after large
storm events.
The facility is designed to raise and lower a series of gates to control flow rates. Downstream
water-level readings dictate the movement of the mechanical floats and subsequently the
position of the automated gates.
In addition to the moveable gates, the facility also has a fixed structure that passes normal flows
in Mt. Scott Creek from smaller storms and between storms without triggering operation of the
gates.

Typically the facility gates rest in the closed position, with a two-foot opening for runoff to pass.
During larger rain events, higher water levels trigger the gates to raise. Once a certain water
level is reached, the gates return to the closed position to start holding water behind the berm.
Stormwater storage is engaged when the outlet control structure openings constrict as intended
by the design, reducing the downstream flow.
The facility is designed to reduce downstream flow rates in Mt. Scott Creek when high flow
levels occur by detaining flows up to a 17-year return period storm event (roughly the equivalent
of the December/January storms) and releasing flows at a seven-year event when the facility is
full.
Recent significant storm events in December 2015 and January 2016 exceeded the facilitys
capacity. The facility was not designed to protect all downstream properties within the 100-year
floodplain or floodway return period (expected frequency based on statistical data).