PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – As major flooding continues to inundate Harney County and the Burns Paiute Reservation, officials are warning community members of an E. coli contamination detected in the floodwaters.

“Historic” levels of rainfall and snowmelt caused the flood, which began March 14 in Harney County and nearby areas, which has overwhelmed rivers, streams and wastewater systems, according to the Oregon Office of Emergency Management.

“Our primary concern is the safety of our community. Our city, county and state agencies are working around the clock to provide the necessary resources and support to those affected by the flooding. We recognize the flooding has impacted people’s lives in significant ways,” Harney County Sheriff Dan Jenkins said in a statement Wednesday. “We appreciate everyone’s patience as we continue to work to mitigate issues, and we are grateful for your support of one another and your first responders.”

Harney County Sheriff’s Office is urging community members to avoid the floodwater unless necessary after water collection samples found harmful bacteria in the floodwaters, including E. coli and Coliform.

Residents are advised to keep children and pets away from the floodwater, and if individuals must enter the water, they should wear personal protective equipment such as rubber boots, goggles, gloves and waders, HCSO said, reminding community members to decontaminate after exiting the water by washing clothing and not wearing shoes exposed to the floodwater indoors.

The warning from the sheriff’s office comes after Oregon Governor Tina Kotek declared a state of emergency for the area on Monday because of overflowing waterways, which damaged homes and businesses and created obstacles for emergency services to reach people in need.

The State of Emergency declaration also directed the Oregon Office of Emergency Management to activate the state’s Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan to coordinate the response across several state agencies.

“Floodwaters have inundated roadways, damaged critical infrastructure, and introduced environmental and public health risks, including contamination of waterways and disruption to essential services,” OEM said Wednesday.

Amid response efforts, the Harney County Sheriff’s Office said crews have completed sandbagging work on Dike D — a levee running from Foley Drive to Silvies River — noting that the Army Corps of Engineers is continuing to reinforce Dike D.

“It’s been incredibly inspiring to witness the swift coordination of federal, state, local, and Tribal resources coming together to support communities in need,” said Stephen Richardson, Emergency Coordination Center manager. “A powerful example of that collaboration was the rapid repair of a compromised dike—an urgent fix that helped prevent further impacts and protect lives and property.”  

Completed work like this is essential, HCSO said, as weather forecasters expect additional runoff from snowmelt early next week as temperatures rise in the region over the weekend.

With sandbagging operations ongoing, HCSO warns that the City of Burns’ sewer system “remains overwhelmed,” noting crews are working around the clock to resolve utility issues.

Meanwhile, HCSO said the city’s drinking water is safe and has not been impacted by the flooding.

According to the sheriff’s office, 18 people are using publicly available shelter spaces, as an emergency shelter opened in the Memorial Building at the Harney County Fairgrounds, along with an RV shelter at Hines City Park.

The Oregon Health Authority is also working to address drinking water concerns, and immunization needs — such as tetanus prevention — and is working to identify individuals with medical conditions who may need extra support.

While Harney County is the most severely affected area, state agencies are continuing to monitor flood conditions statewide.