Property owners hope state politicians can resolve the issueIt was a simple contraption. It was a metal plate attached to the culvert, that sits under Oregon Highway 202. It allowed rainwater from the fields to flow into the Youngs River, which runs along the highway, but kept most of the rising tidewaters from the river and nearby Youngs Bay out of the fields. It was something of a one-way valve.
Then it fell off.
kAm%92E H2D :? yF?6] $:?46 E96?[ 962CED 92G6 366? 3C@<6? 2?5 E6?D \ A6C92AD 9F?5C65D \ @7 E9@FD2?5D @7 5@==2CD :? AC:G2E6 AC@A6CEJ 92G6 2==6865=J 366? =@DE] qFE E96 4@?EC@G6CDJ :D 4=@F565 3J BF6DE:@?D @7 H9@ D9@F=5 7:I E96 AC@3=6>]k^Am
kAmr@>A=:42E:?8 E9:D 7FCE96C :D E96 ?665 E@ AC@E64E 6?52?86C65 DA64:6D @7 H:=5 D2=>@?[ H9:49 C6BF:C6 7C66\7=@H:?8 E:52= H6E=2?5D 7@C E96:C 56G6=@A>6?E]k^Am
kAm%96 4@?EC2AE:@?[ 42==65 2 E:56\82E6[ H2D @A6C2E:?8 F?56C 9:89H2J a_a ?62C :ED :?E6CD64E:@? H:E9 ~C5H2J {2?6[ 2 76H >:=6D D@FE9 @7 pDE@C:2] p7E6C :E 76== @77[ E96C6 H2D ?@E9:?8 E@ DE@A E96 C:D:?8 E:56 :? E96 *@F?8D #:G6C 7C@> 7=@@5:?8 E96 ?62C3J 72C>D @? E96 62DE D:56 @7 E96 C@25]k^Am
kAmpE =62DE E9C66 ?6:893@CD 92G6 366? 5:C64E=J 27764E65] %96:C =2?5 7=@@5D 2E 6G6CJ 9:89 E:56[ EH:46 2 52J] p=E9@F89 ?@ 9@FD6D H6C6 52>2865[ ?6:893@CD D2J E96J =@DE 3@E9 2 7:?2?4:2= 2?5 6>@E:@?2= :?G6DE>6?E :? E96:C EC66D 2?5 7:6=5D \ 2?5 925 E@ 6?5FC6 E96 >@DBF:E@6D 2?5 DE6?49 E92E 42>6 H:E9 E96 7=@@5:?8 =2DE DF>>6C]k^Am
kAmQxEVD 366? 962CE3C62<:?8 ]]] H2E49:?8 E96 56DECF4E:@? E@ @FC AC@A6CEJ[Q D2:5 #@5 !6EE6JD[ H9@ DE2CE65 2 EC66 72C> @? ~C5H2J {2?6 H:E9 9:D 72E96C[ v2CJ !6EE6JD[ 2?5 49:=5C6?] w6 >@G65 E96C6 23@FE 2 J62C 2?5 2 92=7 28@ E@ 8C@H 3=24< (2=?FE EC66D[ 2 A@E6?E:2==J G2=F23=6 H@@5] p3@FE 92=7 @7 9:D 72C> 92D 366? 7=@@565[ 2?5 ac @7 9:D EC66D 92G6 366? <:==65[ 96 D2:5] pE >2EFC:EJ[ 6249 EC66 H2D A@E6?E:2==J H@CE9 S`_[___ @C >@C6[ 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAmQw2G:?8 E9:D A=246 H2D 2 72>:=J 5C62>[Q 96 D2:5 Q?@H E92E E9:D 92D 92AA6?65[ E9:D 92D ;FDE 4@>A=6E6=J D92EE6C65 2== @7 @FC A=2?D]Qk^Am
kAmp?@E96C ?6:893@C @? ~C5H2J {2?6[ rFCE #FE96C7@C5[ A=2?E65 7=@H6CD[ 6G6C8C66?D 2?5 D9CF3D @? 9:D 72C>[ FD:?8 :E 2D 2 =2C86 A2C< 2?5 C64C62E:@? 2C62] |F49 @7 9:D AC@A6CEJ 92D 2=D@ 7=@@565[ <:==:?8 >@DE @7 9:D EC66D]k^Am
kAmQx 5@?VE 6G6? H2?E E@ =@@< 5@H? E96C6 2?J>@C6[Q 96 D2:5] QxV> AC6EEJ FAD6E 23@FE :E] xVG6 8@E D@ >F49 E:>6 :?E@ E9@D6 EC66D[ :? ACF?:?8 E96> 2?5 8C@@>:?8 E96>]Qk^Am
kAm!6EE6JD 6DE:>2E6D 23@FE ad 24C6D 92G6 366? 7=@@565]k^Am
kAmq642FD6 E96 E:56\82E6 H2D F?56C 2 DE2E6 9:89H2J[ E96 C6D:56?ED 766= E96 DE2E6 D9@F=5 7:I :E] %96J 4@?E24E65 E96 ~C68@? s6A2CE>6?E @7 %C2?DA@CE2E:@?] p44@C5:?8 E@ !6EE6JD[ ~s~% 6?8:?66CD D2:5 E96J H@F=5 C6A=246 E96 E:56\82E6 H96? :E C646:G65 E96 ?646DD2CJ 6?G:C@?>6?E2= A6C>:ED] (96? ?@E9:?8 H2D 5@?6[ !6EE6JD D6?E ~s~% 2 =6EE6C DE2E:?8 E96 AC@A6CEJ @H?6CD >:89E DF6 :7 E96 DE2E6 5:5?VE 7:I :E D@@?]k^Am
kAmp7E6C E92E[ ~s~% DE@AA65 E2=<:?8[ !6EE\6JD D2:5]k^Am
kAmQ(6 92G6 4@?E24E65 E96> C6A62E65=J[ 2?5 H6 86E ?@E9:?8 :? C6DA@?D6] %96J 5@?VE E2<6 @FC 42==D[Q 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAmqFE 244@C5:?8 E@ ~s~% DA@<6D>2? s2G6 s2G:D[ ~s~% 42?VE \ 2?5 H@?VE \ C6A=246 E96 E:56\82E6] p=E9@F89 :E H2D >@F?E65 @? 2 DE2E6 4F=G6CE F?56C E96 9:89H2J[ ~s~% :D 5:D2G@H:?8 2?J C6DA@?D:3:=:EJ 7@C :E] %96 DE2E6 42? @?=J DA6?5 9:89H2J >@?6J @? AC@;64ED E92E 36?67:E E96 9:89H2J[ 2?5 E96 E:56\82E6 :D?VE @?6 @7 E96>[ s2G:D D2:5]k^Am
kAm{@C: pDD2 \ %96 s2:=J pDE@C:2?k^Am
kAmv2CJ !6EE6JD DE2?5D ?62C 9:D 7=@@565 AC@A6CEJ @? #E] a_a]k^Am
kAmQ%96 E:56\82E6 :ED6=7 5@6D?VE 36?67:E E96 9:89H2J DJDE6>[ D@ H6 42?VE >2:?E2:? :E 3642FD6 :E H@F=5 36 2? :==682= FD6 @7 9:89H2J 7F?5D[Q 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAms2G:D H2D F?DFC6 H9@ @C:8:?2==J :?DE2==65 2?5 >2:?E2:?65 E96 E:56\82E6[ 3FE D2:5 :E >2J 92G6 366? ~s~%]k^Am
kAm%96 ?6:893@CD 2C6 6?=:DE:?8 E96 96=A @7 DE2E6 A@=:E:4:2?D[ :?4=F5:?8 #6A] q6EDJ y@9?D@?[ s\pDE@C:2[ E@ 2EE6>AE E@ C6D@=G6 E96 :DDF6] %96J 9@A6 E@ >66E H:E9 y@9?D@? 2?5 ~s~% H:E9:? E96 >@?E9]k^Am
kAm%96 C6D:56?ED H2?E65 E@ C6A=246 E96 E:56\82E6 E96>D6=G6D[ 3FE H6C6 E@=5 E96J H@F=5 ?665 E@ 8@ E9C@F89 2? 6=23@C2E6 DE2E6 2?5 7656C2= 6?G:C@?>6?E2= A6C>:EE:?8 AC@46DD 7:CDE[ 2?5 H@F=5 DE:== 92G6 E@ 4@@C5:?2E6 H:E9 ~s~%[ 244@C5:?8 E@ |2C< $66[ ~s~%VD EC2?DA@CE2E:@? >2:?E6?2?46 >2?286C 7@C E96 }@CE9 r@2DE :? pDE@C:2]k^Am
kAm$66[ H9@ D2:5 96 :D DJ>A2E96E:4 E@ E96 ?6:893@CD D:EF2E:@?[ 36=:6G6D E96 C646?E 6>A92D:D 7656C2= 2?5 DE2E6 C68F=2E@CD 92G6 A=2465 @? C6DE@C:?8 H6E=2?5D 7@C H:=5 D2=>@? >2J 92G6 :?7=F6?465 9@H E96 AC@46DD A=2J65 @FE[ 2?5 H:== :? E96 7FEFC6]k^Am
kAm~C:8:?2==J[ >2?J E:56\82E6D H6C6 :?DE2==65 E@ 96=A C64=2:> H6E=2?5D 7@C 28C:4F=EFC2= FD6] qFE[ H:E9:? E96 =2DE 76H J62CD[ D4:6?E:DED 92G6 4@>6 E@ C62=:K6 E96 :>A@CE2?46 E:52= H6E=2?5D A=2J 2D ?FCD6C:6D 7@C ;FG6?:=6 D2=>@? :? E96 =@H6C r@=F>3:2 #:G6C 32D:?] *@F?8 D2=>@? FD6 E96 D92==@H H6E=2?5D 2D 7665:?8 8C@F?5D[ E@ 9:56 7C@> =2C86C AC652E@C 7:D9[ 2?5 E@ 25;FDE E@ E96 D2=:?:EJ 2D E96J >@G6 7C@> 7C6D9 H2E6C DEC62>D E@ E96 D2=EJ @462?]k^Am
kAmQ%96JVG6 925 2 492?86 :? A9:=@D@A9J @7 9@H E96J H2?E E@ EC62E E96 =@H6C C62496D @7 E96 r@=F>3:2[Q D2:5 $66[ DA62<:?8 @7 E96 6?G:C@?>6?E2= 4@>>F?:EJ H:E9:? 2?5 @FED:56 @7 ~s~%] Q%96J 2C6 D2J:?8 E96C6 :D 2 G2=F6 E@ E96 6DEF2CJ @? E96 :?D:56 @7 E96 9:89H2J]Qk^Am
kAm#646?E=J[ E96C6 92G6 366? D6G6C2= DE2E6\7F?565 AC@;64ED :? r=2ED@A r@F?EJ E@ 2==@H 7@C 36EE6C D2=>@? A2DD286 2?5 :>AC@G6 H2E6C BF2=:EJ :? H6E=2?5D 2C@F?5 E:56\82E6D[ :?4=F5:?8 7:G6 AC@;64ED H:E9:? E96 =2DE EH@ J62CD 2=@?8 EC:3FE2C:6D E@ E96 ?62C3J {6H:D 2?5 r=2C< #:G6C] %96 AC@;64ED H6C6 >2?2865 3J E96 r@=F>3:2 #:G6C tDEF2CJ $EF5J %2D< 7@C46 2?5 H6C6 F?C6=2E65 E@ ~s~%]k^Am
kAmp=E9@F89 $66 42?VE D2J 7@C 46CE2:? :7 D6?D:E:G:EJ E@ H6E=2?5 C6DE@C2E:@? AC6G6?E65 ~s~% 7C@> C6A=24:?8 E96 E:56\82E6[ 96 25>:ED :E >2J 92G6]k^Am
kAmQq642FD6 :E :D @?6 @7 E96 7:CDE :?DE2?46D @7 9@H E96 ?6H A9:=@D@A9J H:== 36 5@?6[ H6 >2J 92G6 5@?6 D@>6E9:?8D 5:776C6?E=J E92? H6VG6 5@?6 :? E96 A2DE[Q D2:5 $66]k^Am