Heavy rains fall Monday on central Lane County, raising flood concerns

Rain falls on a gray day in Oregon as a passerby to the John E. Jaqua Center for Student Athletes on the University of Oregon campus shields himself from the elements.
Rain falls on a gray day in Oregon as a passerby to the John E. Jaqua Center for Student Athletes on the University of Oregon campus shields himself from the elements.

The Eugene-Springfield area was hit with heavy rains for a few hours Monday afternoon, leading to significant precipitation totals in a short period and a flood advisory being issued for central Lane County.

Between 0.8 and 1.2 inches of rain have fallen in the region between 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., according to the National Weather Service flood advisory. That includes .74 inches of rain between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. measured at Tugman Park in southeast Eugene.

While the warning was only active from 2:35 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday, those in central Lane County and further south in Cottage Grove are advised to avoid driving through flooded streets, said meteorologist Briana Muhlestein with the National Weather Service in Portland. The areas of most concern for flooding are low-lying areas with poor drainage, she said.

A flood advisory lasted a couple of hours Monday afternoon in central Lane County.
A flood advisory lasted a couple of hours Monday afternoon in central Lane County.

"We don’t recommend driving through flooded roads, even if you think you know that road and think you know what’s below that water, it’s a good idea to avoid it," Muhlestein said.

There were no known closed roads due to flooding in Eugene, Springfield or county jurisdiction, according to city and county spokespeople, but there were reports of minor pooling in the River Road area, according to Lane County spokeswoman Devon Ashbridge.

Ashbridge also advised county residents to keep their road storm drains cleared and to not pile leaves in the road, in order to help prevent flooding.

“Part of the reason we ask people not to put leaves out until the week before (leaf pickup) and in the streets is so people can help reduce that localized flooding," she said. "By keeping drains clear it’s a tremendous help toward preventing flooding."

In Eugene, Public Works spokesman Brian Richardson said there were some concerns of flooding in low-lying areas, but not enough to close roads.

In the forecasts for Eugene, light rain is expected overnight that is not as significant, Muhlestein said, with more significant rain resuming Tuesday night. Estimated overnight precipitation in Eugene is between an eighth and a quarter of an inch.

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Heavy rains in Eugene-Springfield raise flooding concerns