Readers Share Pulled from Chaos
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THEFLOOD OF DECEMBER 2014 50YEARS 19 6 4$1.00 LATER Readers share their memories of the fl ood Pulled from chaos: Rescue missions in river valleys Lives lost: Remembering the 29 who died Humboldt 2 Times-Standard The Flood of 1964 remembers The ‘Thousand Year Flood’ 50 years later: Commemorating the Christmas flood of 1964 BY CLAY MCGLAUGHLIN by warm rains that melt- cessively lower latitudes ranges oriented at nearly [email protected] @CMcGlaughlinTS on Twitter ed the snow and inundat- before turning to the right angles to the flow ed local watersheds in a northeast and moving of the air resulted in This December marks matter of hours. towards the west coast. heavy rain from Dec. 21 the 50th anniversary “Prior to the main A storm track 500 miles to 23. Today we use the of the “Thousand Year storm period, Dec. 19 wide extending from term ‘Atmospheric River’ Flood” in Northern Cali- through 25, minor rain near Hawaii to Oregon to describe this type of fornia, which officially events of November into and northern California weather phenomenon. … began on Dec. 21, 1964 — early December had sat- was established,” wrote A high pressure system reaching its peak on Dec. urated the ground and Reginald Kennedy, ser- built into the area north- 23 of that year and con- increased the flow in vice hydrologist at the east of Hawaii on Dec. tinued until early Janu- the local rivers. In mid- Eureka station of the 24 and cut off the flow ary 1965. Striking nine December, a strong high National Oceanic and At- of warm moist air to the years almost to the day pressure system was lo- mospheric Administra- west coast. The weather after a 1955 flood that cated between Hawaii tion/National Weather pattern then changed was called “the disaster of and Alaska. … Around Service. drastically as snow fell in the century,” the ’64 flood Dec. 19, the high pressure “The combination of the mountains with rain was caused by a deadly system weakened, allow- this very moist warm air, and hail at the lower el- combination of weather ing follow-on weather strong west-southwest evations and along the events that dumped mas- systems to move across winds, and orographic coast.” sive amounts of snow in the Pacific Ocean at suc- lift of the mountain According to Kenne- the mountains, followed Terry, Billy, Lena and Julie McCovey look out over the Klamath River Bridge while their parents wait nearby. www.times-standard.com The Flood of 1964 3 dy’s research, during peak Reports from the past when the flood struck, stressful situation.” precipitation Whiskey- A 1965 report titled stranding her family in a Hayes said that after town Reservoir and Rich- “Flood!” by Hugo Fisher Ferndale Victorian, where her family was rescued ardson Grove State Park and William Warne of they and the neighbors and safely on dry ground, reported more than 11 the Department of Wa- — who had come to seek many Fortuna residents, inches of rain in 24 hours. ter Resources describes shelter — continued mov- some of whom they didn’t A total of 15 inches was the event rather poeti- ing upstairs to avoid the even know, donated cloth- reported at Ettersburg, 22 cally: “With quickening rising waters. ing and Christmas gifts to inches at Standish-Hickey pace the rivulets of water “It’s funny how people her family and others. State Park, and 17 inches stream down the slopes come together in times “Most of all the selfless at Gasquet. of the mountains of the of need and do extraor- volunteerism of every- The flood cut a huge Coast Range and Sierra dinary things,” she wrote one from Law Enforce- swath of destruction to swell into wild angry to the Times-Standard. ment, Civil Defense, Coast across the North Coast, rivers. Combining forces, “In our case, my family Guard Staff, Red Cross at killing 29, causing mil- these raging torrents and our neighbors fam- times of extreme person- lions in damage and cut- surge through the foothill ily worked together to al risk can’t be stressed ting off entire commu- areas and sweep relent- round up all the cattle enough,” she said. “Those nities from the outside lessly into the vulnerable in the area to get them of us that survived owe world for months. valleys below.” to high ground when the them a tremendous debt “I (saw) lots of acts of The California Depart- water was rising so that of gratitude.” heroism during that time. ment of Parks and Recre- they would at least have Thirty-four counties in Everybody was a hero ation described the flood a chance at survival. My California were declared back then,” said Jerry as “the ‘greatest natural father (John Miranda) disaster areas, though Hansen, 71, of Grizzly disaster’ ever experienced and Mr. George Toste Humboldt, Del Norte, Bluff. His father, dairy- by the Pacific Northwest our neighbor took our Mendocino, Siskiyou, On the man Arnold “Bud” Han- states. … The Eel, Smith, plywood boat (at great Trinity and Sonoma coun- sen of Ferndale, was a vol- Klamath, Trinity, Salm- personal risk) out of the ties suffered more dam- cover unteer spotter on one of on and Mad rivers were shed and braved the ris- age than all the others RIO DELL On Christmas the U.S. Coast Guard he- all long past flood stage ing flood waters to bring put together. Flooding oc- Eve morning ,1964, the licopters commissioned that day and the next. his family and his hired curred from Yosemite Val- rampaging Eel River had to rescue people stranded Northern California’s hand’s family to our loca- ley in the south to Nevada ripped apart the Paul in the Eel River bottoms Humboldt, Del Norte, tion because they thought in the east and Washing- Mudgett Bridge at Rio Dell. area. The aircraft crashed it would be safer. All of ton in the north. Every At lower left is the Eel River Mendocino, Siskiyou, Sawmills log deck. on Dec. 22 in the stormy Trinity and Sonoma coun- the food and supplies in river in Oregon hit flood darkness after a day of ties experienced record our house became com- stage as the deluge gained flying people from their water levels for the 20th munity property .. .and strength. flooded homes to safer century. … Floodwaters, while she was still able By Dec. 23, the water ground. laden with jammed logs (before the rising flood level had risen 46 feet “My dad was a hero,” and houses ripped from water prevented her higher than usual in Mi- Hansen said in a recent their foundations, roared from cooking) my mother randa, completely engulf- phone interview, “but across at least 16 highway cooked meals for every- ing the village. The towns there were lots of heroes bridges, destroying them one in the house. At that of Crescent City, Fern- that also survived the ’64 all and leaving residents point, we were all just one bridge, Holmes, Klam- flood. Everybody pitched isolated for months.” big family trying to get ath, Myers Flat, Orleans, in.” Kathy Hayes was 12 through an enormously Paradise, Pepperwood, CONTI’S AUTO REPAIR FULL SERVICE SHOP 707-443-3505 BRAKE & SUSPENSION SERVICE SPECIAL 930 6th Street, Eureka Paula Patton Publisher Times-Standard.com Trina Alger Advertising Director Kim Wear Editor 25% OFF on Parts Phone (707) 441-0500 (On most Cars, Suv’s and Light Trucks) Rory Hubbard Layout Free Brake or Suspension Inspection and Estimates “Enterprising Women in Business” is distributed to subscribers of the Times-Standard at no additional Call for an Appointment charge, and is available to purchase for $1.00. All advertising herein is the responsibility of the advertiser. The At Renner Station on Harris St. Times-Standard retains the publication rights to all content produced or supplied by the Times Standard. Quality Service At A Fair Price Use of said material without the written consent of the Times-Standard is prohibited. Copyright © 2014. 4 Times-Standard The Flood of 1964 Redcrest, Scotia, Shively, … Finally, on Jan. 6, resi- South Fork, Stafford, Ti- dents of the northwest Bar and Weott all suffered area were able to relax a major damage, and sev- moment to look back — eral were never rebuilt. and ahead — as the riv- Estimates of the finan- ers began to fall and the cial losses on the North weather forecast for only Coast topped $175 mil- scattered showers dimin- lion. ished the threat of re- ‘Complete havoc’ newed floods.” As the waters slowly re- In the aftermath of ceded, they left “complete the flood, the Humboldt havoc” in their wake, ac- Beacon reported a death cording to Fisher and toll of 29 people, with Warne. almost 1,700 injured. At “On many swollen least 4,784 homes, 374 streams in the North businesses and 800 farm Coast, walls of water tore buildings were destroyed, down highway and rail- according to compiled re- road bridges, overturned ports from the Statewide autos, smashed houses Flood Management Plan- and farm buildings, and ning Program. About 80 swept away entire villag- percent of the county road es. … Virtually the whole systems sustained major region from Scotia to damage, further complicat- Crescent City was isolat- ing recovery efforts. ed as the rampaging Eel, “Because of lack of Mad and Klamath riv- transportation for logs ers and Redwood Creek and cut lumber, 4,000 made U.S. Route 101 im- workers are without jobs, weeks later that she was where. When we flew into 1,000 years, lesser events improvements in tech- passable.” and an additional 8,000 able to get south and see McKinleyville.