Heavy Rain and Potential Flooding Expected in Portland Metro Area

Tips for residents of Portland.

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(PORTLAND, Ore.) - The National Weather Service forecast calls for heavy rain and potential flooding of Johnson Creek tonight or early Thursday morning. These conditions could create a number of driving hazards in the Portland metro area.

The Portland Bureau of Transportation crews have staged barricades at several locations in anticipation of heavy rain and flooding, and sandbag pile locations are re-stocked with sand and sandbags. Other City bureaus will partner to respond to conditions as necessary. The public is advised of the following potential hazards associated with heavy rains:

• Street flooding, clogged catch basins, and drainage problems

• Pools of standing water all over the city

• Fallen trees blocking streets

• Landslides and debris flows blocking streets

• Issues of house flooding and sewer backups

• Traffic signal outages

• Downed power lines and power outages The following sandbag locations are open and stocked with sand and sandbags for a potential flood event. Please bring your own shovel:

• SE 92nd Avenue and Holgate Boulevard at Lents Park

• SE 111th Avenue and Harold Street

• SE 122nd Avenue and Harold Street

• SE 108th Avenue off of Foster Road

In the event Johnson Creek floods, SE Foster Road will be closed from SE 102nd to 122nd Avenues and traffic will be detoured to Holgate. Other street closures will likely be necessary as well. Motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians are advised to be extra careful.

Do NOT go around barricades that close or restrict access to a street. Disobeying a barricade that has a street closure or other message sign on it is a Class B violation according to Oregon Vehicle Code and may result in a $360 fine.

Not only does driving around a barricade pose a serious health and safety threat to you, your passengers, and your vehicle, but the wake from your vehicle can cause serious public and private property damage and flood houses and businesses.

Motorists are advised not to drive through standing water. More people drown in their cars than anywhere else during a flood. Currents can be deceptive. Depth cannot be determined, and even six inches of water can cause a car to float. Losing control of your car on wet pavement is a frightening experience.

Unfortunately, it can happen unless you take preventative measures.

Safe Driving Tips

• Adjust your speed according to conditions.

• Do not drive through standing water; turn around safely.

• Do not drive around barricades on flooded streets.

• Driving through high water creates wakes that can cause further damage to structures and property.

• Treat a traffic signal outage or flashing signal as a four-way stop.

• You can prevent skids by driving slowly and carefully, especially on curves. Steer and brake with a light touch. When you need to stop or slow, do not brake hard or lock the wheels and risk a skid. Maintain mild pressure on the brake pedal.

• If you do find yourself in a skid, remain calm, ease your foot off the gas, and carefully steer in the direction you want the front of the car to go. For cars without anti-lock brakes, avoid using your brakes. This procedure, known as "steering into the skid," will bring the back end of your car in line with the front.

• Hydroplaning happens when the water in front of your tires builds up faster than your car's weight can push it out of the way. The water pressure causes your car to rise up and slide on a thin layer of water between your tires and the road. At this point, your car can be completely out of contact with the road, and you are in danger of skidding or drifting out of your lane, or even off the road.

• To avoid hydroplaning, keep your tires properly inflated, maintain good tread on your tires and replace them when necessary, slow down when roads are wet, and stay away from puddles. Try to drive in the tire tracks left by the cars in front of you.

• If you find yourself hydroplaning, do not brake or turn suddenly. This could throw your car into a skid. Ease your foot off the gas until the car slows and you can feel the road again. If you need to brake, do it gently with light pumping actions.

If your car has anti-lock brakes, then brake normally; the car's computer will mimic a pumping action, when necessary.

Standing Water AdvisoriesHeavy rains that cause flooding along portions of Johnson Creek in Portland also elevate bacteria levels in Portland rivers and streams. Please adhere to the following precautions if standing water is in your area:• Do not wade through or come into contact with standing water covering streets and walkways near Johnson Creek because of high levels of bacteria and other contaminants in the water.

• Standing water can carry a number of contaminants including sewage, chemicals, sharp objects, and other hazardous debris that could cause infection or injury.

• Do not let children play in flood waters and avoid flood waters as much as possible.

• If downed power lines are hidden under standing water, there is the risk of electrocution. • Avoid contact with the Willamette River and all streams in the Portland area during a flood event because of higher than normal bacteria levels. Wash thoroughly if you do come into contact with flood waters, or water in rivers and streams. For information on street closures and highway road conditions, visit TripCheck.com or PortlandOnline.com and link to Portland Winter Travel Info and other emergency preparedness resources.