Water’s Edge blasted by ‘freak’ windstorm in The Dalles, sustains major damage; hospital flexing to find room for displaced services

Caution tape wraps the scene at Water’s Edge medical building early this morning as much debris from the roof landed in the front parking lot at 501 Lone Pine Blvd. in The Dalles. All photos by Joshuah Albert

By Joshuah Albert and Tom Peterson

The Dalles, Ore., Dec. 17, 2025 — Severe winds damaged the roof of the Water’s Edge medical building early Wednesday, forcing the closure of multiple medical clinics in The Dalles, including Immediate Care at Adventist Health Columbia Gorge. No injuries were reported.

Trees bend and debris remains scattered near the Water’s Edge building in The Dalles after powerful winds swept through the area . Gusts reached a high of 66 mph at 4:53 a.m. at the Columbia Gorge Regional Airport, according to the National Weather Service.

Engineering teams from are assessing the damage. A timeline for reopening has not been determined.

Staff from each affected Adventist Health Columbia Gorge clinic are contacting patients to help reschedule appointments. Patients with immediate medical needs are advised to seek care at the nearest emergency room.

Wind Rages through the Morning

Airport gauges recorded gusts of 61 mph at 2:25 a.m. and 51 mph at 2:30 a.m., with sustained winds of 39 mph and 37 mph. Winds remained elevated through about 6 a.m., with sustained speeds staying in the 30-mph range and gusts frequently climbing into the 50s.

Wind speeds of 98 mph were recorded East of Hood River.

“According to our gauge at the Columbia Gorge Regional Airport in The Dalles, the winds started instantly at 2:28 a.m, said National Weather Meteorologist Christel Bennese in Pendleton. “There was no lead in. It just hit.”

Estimations on the damage to the building valued at $26 million, according to county real market value estimates, are underway.

Adventist Health does not own the Water’s Edge building. Rather, it is owned by Lone Pine Holdings LLC, managed by Hood River-based businessman Robert Gilham, according to the Oregon Business Registry.

Water’s Edge was constructed in 2009 and sits on approximately 3 acres in The Dalles. The three-story building encompasses about 60,000 square feet.

Gabe Duus

“That was a crazy wind last night,” said Gabe Duus, a part owner of Lone Pine Holdings. “The building has been there 15 years now. It was a freak windstorm. We have guys up there assessing the damage, and we’ll figure out how to put it together better than it was.”

Duus said leaders with Adventist Health were meeting Wednesday to determine next steps as cleanup and protection of equipment continued.

“They are having a meeting today. We just sent guys up there to clean up and move hospital equipment, and they will inform us of what to do later today. They are already on top of it.”

Water’s Edge houses primary care, walk-in immediate care, heart and cardiology services, and rehabilitation services including physical, occupational and speech therapy, and employs dozens of staff at the location.

Duus said photos show damage inside and outside the building.

“The wind coming from the west was pretty rough,” he said. “The roof, the way it was designed, had an overhang and caught wind like a sail.”

He said most of the damage appears concentrated on the west end of the roof, with smaller areas of damage around the rest of the building.

“We have structural engineers investigating to make sure we have a good fix and design for it,” he said. “We plan to temporarily cover the structure on the west end to minimize future water damage.”

“It’s too early to say how long it will take to repair without knowing the full extent of the damage. We will get a grip on that in the next few days.”

Duus said responsibility for repairs rests with the building’s ownership rather than the hospital, with a construction company working to temporarily protect the structure and hospital assets while repair plans, budgets and insurance estimates are developed.

Meteorologist Bennese said The Dalles is especially prone to high-wind events because it sits within a natural mountain gap in the Cascade Range, which accelerates wind flow through the Columbia River Gorge.

“We have readings right there at Brewery Grade of 48 mph gust there and then lets see 50 in town. But I don't have a lot more gauges along the rivers edge itself.”

The winds hitting the Water’s Edge could have been possibly stronger than 66 mph if the strength of the current followed the river.

The wind event was driven by a high-pressure cold front pushing south from British Columbia into lower-pressure areas across Eastern Washington and Oregon.

“It is going to be a little breezy next couple of days with a little cold front so we will see weaker winds but nothing to this extreme. It is going to be wet one though, - 100 percent chance of getting rain through Friday Morning.”

Adventist Health Columbia Gorge officials said updates on clinic operations will be shared as assessments continue.