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Eugene -Springfield Area Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan <br />2. Hazard Descriptions <br />levee, known today as the 42nd Street Levee, successfully contained the January <br />1964 and February 1996 flood incidents. <br />The flood hazard areas shown on the current Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) <br />for Eugene -Springfield assume the dams are operating properly. Dam failure <br />hazards are not addressed by the FIS or the FIRM. <br />Despite the reduction in flood potential from the construction of dams, the Eugene - <br />Springfield area continues to have flood risk from major rivers as well as from the <br />numerous creeks and sloughs running through the area. Flood risk on these smaller <br />streams has not been reduced by the dams on the larger rivers and their tributaries. <br />A historic statewide flood incident with local impacts occurred in February 1996. <br />Unusually heavy rains over the four -day period from February 5th to February 8th <br />resulted in significant flooding on numerous rivers and streams throughout western <br />Oregon. During the incident, rising waters in the McKenzie River forced the <br />evacuation of 1,200 to 1,500 people in low-lying areas of Springfield. hi the <br />Springfield/Thurston area along the McKenzie River, 35-40 homes, about 20 <br />private roads and bridges, and roughly 20 vehicles were damaged. <br />Widespread flooding during February 1996 was also experienced in the Mohawk <br />Valley from Marcola to Springfield with flooded homes on Sunderman Road and <br />Goat Road. The Springfield Golf Course suffered substantial damage with about 6 <br />inches of silt and debris deposited on the greens and fairways. There were <br />widespread road closures in Lane County and Interstate 5 had water flowing across <br />it just north of Eugene near the Boston Mill Road overpass.49 <br />In December of 2005, days of heavy rains led to flooding on the Mohawk River <br />near Springfield. The flood stage of the Mohawk is 15 feet. On December 31st, the <br />river was at 18 feet. This area flooded again in January 2006 (reaching 17.8 feet), <br />in 2012 [reaching 17.8 feet on January 19th (Figure 2-4)], and in December 2015 <br />(reaching 15.42 feet.)51 <br />49 United States. NOAA National Weather Service. Flooding in Oregon. Accessed August 2019. <br />https://www.weather.gov/safety/flood-states-or <br />so US Department of Commerce, NOAA, National Weather Service. "Mohawk River (OR) Near <br />Springfield Water Gauge - Historic Crests." NOAA. Accessed November 17, 2017. <br />http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/crests.php?wfo—pqr&gage—spro3&crest type —historic. <br />2-31 January 2020 <br />