This flood was caused by a summer thunderstorm. A hazard mitigation plan was developed by a local, interagency planning team and approved by Wasco County Court, Oregon Emergency Management, and FEMA. Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funding was approved in fall 1996 for $202,000 and work initiated in spring 1997. Work included best management practices on private lands designed to reduce runoff and erosion in areas where frequent events damage infrastructure such as roads and bridges. Work also included upgrading culverts, and other roadway systems. The purpose of the program was to reduce damage to infrastructure from future, similar events.  This project was completed in the fall of 1999.
 

This widespread flood in the Pacific Northwest was the result of heavy rain and warming on heavy mid elevation snowpack, and was similar to regional flooding in December 1964. Focus of efforts from this disaster are aimed at protecting downtown The Dalles where heavy damage was caused by Mill Creek. The last 850 ft. of Mill Creek before it enters the Columbia River is in a tunnel. Heavy debris flows and log jams at the tunnel inlet coupled with reduced discharge head caused by Columbia River levels backed water up and into the downtown business area. Losses were in millions of dollars. An interagency planning team identified the most feasible solution to be creation of a floodway or surface overflow outlet to carry out-of-bank flows safely to the Columbia River. Extremes from minimal land shaping to 16 x 16 ft. concrete channel were considered with considerable variation in initial cost estimates. At the last team meeting in 1997, the UPRR representative was going to investigate potential funding for a Corps of Engineers definitive study. Minimal state support has been received for this effort. Current Status: Corps engineering / analysis scheduled; City of The Dalles assumed sponsorship for this urban public works project.  The City's urban renewal efforts in 2001 included pedestrian passage under the freeway which might double as a water outlet during flood events at the mouth of Mill Creek. Ground breaking on the Union street freeway underpass took place October 2002.

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