Heppner flood of 1903

[3][5] The region's arid climate and little vegetation coupled with the ground already being wet from a storm three days earlier caused very little water to be absorbed by the soil, and soon the streams were flooding.

Within fifteen minutes after the rain began to fall, water rushed down the streams (mainly the Balm Fork), towards Heppner.

[3][5][6] A steam laundry building on the southern edge of Heppner built across Willow Creek acted as a dam when the water arrived, failing under the stress several minutes later.

[3][6] At its peak, over 36,000 cubic feet per second (1,000 m3/s) of water raced down Willow Creek,[8] more than the average flow of the much larger Willamette River to the west.

[3] After the flood inundated Heppner, two of its residents, Les Matlock and Bruce Kelly, rode on horseback to warn the cities of Lexington and Ione, 9 and 18 miles (14 and 29 km) downstream, respectively.