Weather working for local contractors as Mother Nature goes blue today in TD
J.J. Castro and his crew were soaking in the rays while doing some difficult digging in the fountain pool at Lewis & Clark Festival Park off Union Street in The Dalles. Castro said they are resetting the fountain with new drainage, filters and a liner and concrete pool in preparation for reinstalling the sculpture at the site.
By Tom Peterson
The Dalles, Ore., Feb. 19, 2026 — Mother Nature is blessing the current contract season as projects in The Dalles are starting blossom with the advent of sunny skies and signed contracts.
Work on two portions of First Street with major utility upgrades a full street renovation between Union and Laughlin streets are underway.
And contractors are also digging in at Lewis & Clark Festival Park with a sculpture fountain upgrade that aims to plug the fountain that has been plagued by vandalism in past years. The liner of the fountain has been cut in years past which causes the pool to leak down.
The fountain sculpture seen here several years ago when it was functioning.
J.J. Castro Construction were using pick axes and jack hammers as they reset the drainage and filtration system at the fountain this afternoon as the ready the site for a lined full concrete pool that will once again host the Lewis, Clark and Sacagawea pushing a dugout upstream - a sculpture created by local artist Jeff Stewart.
Castro said he expected the work would take about a month, noting the nice weather was helping to move the project along.
Further upriver on First Street Ajax Northwest Construction has brought in equipment and an office on Federal and First street as they prepare to start the streetscape project.
It will begin with some archeological exploration in days to come with some digging of test plots as some of the areas containing historic rock walls have a higher probability of holding significant artifacts.
The Dalles City Council in November awarded a $4.07 million contract to Ajax for the long-planned First Street Streetscape project, a major reconstruction effort aimed at stabilizing deteriorating infrastructure and revitalizing the historic downtown corridor.
Moses Ruiz, 39, of The Dalles cleans out a bed next to the Christian Science Reading Room at 701 Washington Street as warmer weather is prompting grounds maintenance.
Blue Skies may be Deceiving
The Dalles will see increasing cloud cover Friday with a high near 43 degrees and calm winds, before a chance of snow develops late Friday night as temperatures drop to around 31 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. Light snow accumulation of less than a half inch is possible by early Saturday morning. Conditions will transition Saturday to a mix of rain and snow before becoming all rain by the afternoon, with a high again near 43 degrees and light east winds. Rain chances continue into Saturday night and increase Sunday, when temperatures warm slightly with a high near 49 degrees and a 70% chance of rain.
