Rick McClung, who oversees the city of Yachats’ water treatment system, stands by a pond on Salmon Creek created by the intake for the water plant.
November rain in Yachats was the lowest recorded in the last 10 years, resulting in an 11-month total rainfall amount for the area just 71 percent of normal.
There were just 2.38 inches of rain recorded at the city of Yachats’ wastewater treatment plant in November. The previous low November rainfall amount was more than double that – 4.92 inches – in 2013.
The total for the year in Yachats is 43.17 inches – almost 18 inches below the 10-year average of 60.91 inches for the first 11 months of the year.
November’s rainfall followed an equally dry October when 2.42 inches were recorded by the city – the second-lowest for that month in the past 10 years. September had more than average rain.
The unusual lack of rain has meant the city has almost had to discuss whether to institute its second water restriction of the year. Because of low flow in the city’s two water sources – Salmon and Reedy creeks – it put on loose restrictions in September that lasted a little more than a month.
“It’s been a rough fall,” said Rick McClung, the city’s water treatment plant supervisor. “We’ve teeter-tottered on another water restriction all month. The forecasts keep saying it’s going to rain, but it never does.”
McClung said the city’s water worries were exacerbated by a months-long 80-gallon per minute leak under the newly re-constructed East Second Street caused by a culvert settling and damaging a water line. McClung noticed the loss from a reservoir monitoring system, but had to hire a specialist to find the leak.
“It’s fixed now, so we’re all back to normal,” he said.
But it wasn’t just Yachats or the Oregon coast which had a dry November. Last month was one of the driest Novembers on record throughout northwest Oregon.
The National Weather Service said Monday that Salem experienced its third-driest and Astoria and Eugene had their fifth-driest Novembers in about 125 years. Portland had its fifth-driest November in 75 years.
Salem got only 0.8 inches of rain compared with its November average of 6.5 inches. Astoria received 2.2 inches, compared to an average of 11.15.
Eugene had 1.25 inches, versus an average of 7.72. Portland got 1.52 inches, compared with its average of 5.63 inches.
