Database ID#: 88
Date: Friday, December 2, 1977
Location: Mount Rainier National Park
Glacier Name: None
Drainage Basin:
Event Type: Flood

Weather:
Heavy Rain

Season: Wet

Notes:
NOTE: DATE ESTABLISHED BY PEAK STREAM FLOWS AT CARBON (12/1) AND NISQUALLY (12/2)

From Samora (1991):
The Park received valuable assistance from Regional Public Health Officer Roger Lee after the December floods. Water systems and sewer systems were surveyed to make sure they were not a threat to public health.

"Due to December flood damage, a new transformer was installed at Nisqually, 2000 ft. of new power line was rebuilt at Sunshine Point Campground, the Tahoma Creek line crossing and crossing structures were rebuilt as the Kautz Creek crossing structures."

under Other: "December Flood Damage: Heavy flooding in early December washed all but five or six sites on the first loop of Sunshine Point down the Nisqually River. The power line was washed out at Tahoma Creek, Kautz Creek and Nisqually. About one mile of line had to be replaced.

The bridge over Ipsut Creek at the Campground washed out, and trees fell on the Carbon River shop and trail quarters. The road to the sewer treatment plant at Ohanapecosh was washed out and there was some serious flooding of the Longmire sewage lagoon. To top it off, there was considerable leaking in the Paradise Visitor Center and the power was off at Paradise and Longmire for long periods."

Also:
Park visitation decreased 14% in 1978, mostly in the first four months of the year, primarily due to heavy rains and floods of late December, 1977. State highway construction caused some traffic restriction on Highway 123 where a washout of December, 1977 was rebuilt and on Highway 706 where a one-land Bailey bridge crossed the washout over Goat Creek.

Roads and Trails: "A bailey bridge was installed across Ipsut Creek for temporary use. The dikes at Longmire and Sunshine Point campground were rebuilt from December 1977 flood damage. The Sunshine Point Campground was rebuilt by NPS and YACC assistance. The Mowich Lake Road was rebuilt from the December 1977 floods. Work included a 2 inch overlay of gravel road surface, new 48 inch culvert and rebuilding drainage and diversion ditches. The Ipsut Creek road was realigned at Ranger Creek to correct damage from December 1977 flood. All trails were repaired from the December 1977 flood. Gabions were installed along the West Side road for slope stabilization."

"Sunshine Point Campground Rehabilitation: As a result of lat year's flood damage, the campground was closed during August and September for complete rehabilitation. All sites were realigned, a new picnic area was established, paving was completed on a new loop road and all parking pads, the entire area was hydroseeded for revegetation and new comfort stations were installed."

"Carbon River Road: Portions of the road were closed during the year for extensive repair work to flood damage sections. One section was closed early in the year to install a temporary Bailey bridge where culverts had washed out. A second section was closed for several periods in October for widening."

"Mowich Lake Road: Extensive repairs to flood damaged sections delayed the spring opening of this road until late July."

Peak Flows:
Carbon River - 10000 cfs (14.17 yr RI)
Nisqually River - 17100 cfs (26.79 yr RI)

From Carbon River EA:
"[Carbon River Entrance] The stream bank at both the entrance and maintenance area, severely eroded in the 1977 flood, was stablized to reduce further intrusion of the Carbon River into the developed area (NPS 1979 DCP)"
"[Green Lake/Chenuis] - Listed as 1978 - Roadway damage between Green Lake and Chenuis trailheads"
"[Ipsut Creek] Another destructive flood washed out road culverts at Ipsut Creek. A 'bailey bridge' was constructed as a temporary measure until the Ipust Creek Bridge was constructed in 1979 (NPS 2006a:18)"

Estimated Velocity:
Estimated Peak Flow:
Estimated Volume:

References:
Samora (1991) Carbon River EA NPS 1979 DCP in Carbon River EA NPS 2006a:18 in Carbon River EA