North Cascades

North Cascades National Park Service Complex
Storm/Flood Damage
October 2003
West Side

October 27, 2003
West Side Storm Damage, Cascade River Road, Boston Creek

Boston Creek (far left of photo): Boston Creek Culvert is a 96 inch by 132 inch multi-plate culvert, 56 feet long. This culvert was observed on 10/20/03 flowing, unblocked, and not able to handle the creek flow. Water was running over the road and beginning to scour out the road surface. When NPS crew returned on 10/23, the road was washed away alongside the culvert down to bed rock. The culvert is open and still in its original location. The road prism that is missing is approximately 80 feet across, 16 feet deep and 56 feet wide. Approximately 2,650 yards of road material and riprap was washed away.

Cascade River Road, Boston Creek (left)

October 27, 2003
West Side Storm Damage, Colonial Creek Campground Sites<

Eighteen individual camp sites, numbers 11 through 26, 30 and 47 received major damage in the storm of 10/20/03. These sites were hit with major flooding and downed trees. Picnic tables were crushed, fire pits washed away and damaged, road access washed away or covered with gravel flows, and tent sites buried. The water and power lines around the north end of the campground are now exposed. A major comfort station was spared. The project will restore 18 sites, re-establish utilities, repair campsites and parking pads, remove debris and haul fill to re-establish grade in damaged areas.

October 27, 2003
West Side Storm Damage, Colonial Creek Campground Entrance — Rhode Creek

Rhode Creek culvert became plugged in the first wave of this storm on 10/17/03. Water ran over the road and down to the Colonial boat launch. The damage consisted of road shoulder erosion south of the culvert, along the south entrance road. Approximately eighty yards of material washed away at this location. The creek was diverted by the deposited material into the campground to the boat launch, covering the launch with mud, gravel and silt. The material deposited on the access road was cleared, but on 10/20/03, the next storm deposited more and continued to deposit debris on the boat launch.

http://www.nps.gov/noca/storm03/westside/westside1.htm
Last Updated: 20-march-2005