Camas property damaged by flooding


Camas City Hall, library sustains property damage as well as Adam’s St. Bar & Grill

Editor’s note: This story is accompanied by a video courtesy of Lacamas Magazine (www.LacamasMagazine.com). It is published here with full attribution to and permission from Lacamas Magazine Editor Ernie Geigenmiller.

Members of the Camas City Council were briefed Monday about damage to city property caused by flooding after the thunderstorm that hit the area early Friday morning. Steve Wall, Camas Public Works director, informed the council members during Monday’s virtual council meeting.

Members of the Camas City Council were briefed Monday about damage to city property, including the City Hall building, caused by flooding after the thunderstorm that hit the area early Friday morning. Photo by Mike Schultz
Members of the Camas City Council were briefed Monday about damage to city property, including the City Hall building, caused by flooding after the thunderstorm that hit the area early Friday morning. Photo by Mike Schultz

Wall said that roads and the drainage systems were heavily impacted in a number of areas throughout the city. “We also had temporary impacts to water and sewer systems,” Wall reported. “But we were able to get those back up and functional quickly. And so we were able to maintain services to folks.” 

Down the street from City Hall, the Adam’s St. Bar & Grill sustained property damage when  storm drains on the street were overwhelmed. Rain ran across the sidewalk and down steps to the pub’s basement. It ripped the basement door off, filling the basement with five feet of water according to the owner, Greg Shelby. Video from Lacamas Magazine shows the damage.

City of Camas property was also damaged — primarily City Hall and the annex building in the library, according to Wall. “City Hall and (the) annex building, we escaped with hopefully carpet damage that got wet. We’re still testing the drywall to see what extent the damage is in the water climbing the walls.”

According to Camas Public Works Director Steve Wall, the water came into the Camas Library annex building off Franklin Street, and made its way down into the mechanical room. The majority of the basement in the library was flooded with between three to six inches of water. Photo by Mike Schultz
According to Camas Public Works Director Steve Wall, the water came into the Camas Library annex building off Franklin Street, and made its way down into the mechanical room. The majority of the basement in the library was flooded with between three to six inches of water. Photo by Mike Schultz

The library was hit the hardest. According to Wall, the water came into that building off Franklin Street, and made its way down into the mechanical room. The majority of the basement in the library was flooded with between three to six inches of water. 

The city staff is currently working with WCIA, the city’s insurance authority, and a restoration company to assess the full extent of the damage.