Bomb destroys White River flood gauge as storm hits

Investigators in Pacific say a homemade bomb blew open a utility box and then thieves stole equipment used to monitor water levels on the flood prone White River.

John Clemens with the U.S. Geological Survey says the blast Sunday night blew out the top and sides of the steel box. He says the equipment and battery were stolen.

The U.S.G.S. uses the device to send critical river flow information to the Internet for flood managers from several agencies. Clemens says the monitoring device is used in conjunction with the Mud Mountain Dam, which is essentially a flood control structure.

With heavy rain forecast for the rest of the week and winter approaching, forecasters consider the monitor so critical for flood protection that U.S.G.S. technicians replaced it in a matter of a few hours.

The information from the monitor helps emergency management officials determine if evacuations are needed in case of serious flooding.

Pacific police say a second possible explosive was found at the scene and a bomb squad blew it up. Investigators have no suspects.