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29-691: The Umatilla Chemical Depot ( UMCD ), based in Umatilla, Oregon , was a U.S. Army installation in the United States that stored chemical weapons . The chemical weapons originally stored at the depot consisted of various live munitions and storage containers each holding 1 short ton (2,000 lb; 910 kg) GB or VX nerve agents or HD blister agent . All munitions had been safely destroyed by 2011 and base closure operations were still ongoing as of 2022. The Umatilla Chemical Depot opened in 1941, to prepare for World War II . The depot's mission

58-535: A wildlife refuge . In late-2011 49 of the 69 off-site sirens surrounding the depot were removed and have been repurposed as tsunami sirens along the Oregon coast . Tillamook County would receive 30 sirens but never use them while Clatsop County would receive 19 sirens with Cannon Beach installing several of the former sirens to replace ones that had run their time. Umatilla, Oregon Umatilla ( / ˌ j u m ə ˈ t ɪ l ə / , YOO -mə- TIL -ə )

87-655: A decline of 7.3% from 2010, and has fallen well behind nearby Hermiston at $ 50,694. The local economy is heavily reliant on agriculture and supporting services. As of 2001, the five largest employers in Umatilla were the Two Rivers Correctional Institution, JM Manufacturing ( polyvinyl chloride pipes), Gilroy Food (dehydrated onions), Boise Cascade (wood chips), and Oregon Rustic (pine furniture). Pendleton-Hermiston micropolitan area Too Many Requests If you report this error to

116-521: Is a city in Umatilla County , Oregon , United States. The population in 2010 was 6,906, but the city's population includes approximately 2,000 inmates incarcerated at Two Rivers Correctional Institution . Umatilla is part of the Hermiston - Pendleton Micropolitan Statistical Area , but has the highest poverty rate (24%) and lowest Median Household Income ($ 38,796), of all communities in

145-743: Is designed for the destruction of the chemical weapons stored at the Umatilla Chemical Depot. The facility was completed in 2001. The Army began weapons disposal on September 8, 2004, and completed disposal on October 25, 2011. Destruction is a requirement under the Chemical Weapons Convention and monitored by the OPCW . The facility destroyed 220,604 munitions and containers containing 3,717 short tons (7,434,000 lb; 3,372,000 kg) of GB , HD and VX via high-temperature incineration, representing 100 percent of

174-504: The Oregon Steam Navigation Company began construction of a narrow gauge railroad that would connect Umatilla to the agricultural inland, passing from Pendleton to Weston . The great flood of 1894 destroyed what was left of the original business district and many surviving buildings were moved away from the river. The Umatilla Masonic Lodge Hall , one of the only surviving buildings from the original townsite,

203-524: The Petticoat Revolution . The Umatilla Chemical Depot opened in 1941, to prepare for World War II . The depot's mission was to store and maintain a variety of military items, from blankets to ammunition . The depot took on its chemical weapons storage mission in 1962. From 1990 to 1994 the facility reorganized in preparation for eventual closure, shipping all conventional ammunition and supplies to other installations. On October 25, 2011,

232-494: The census of 2010, there were 6,906 people, 1,634 households, and 1,215 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,562.4 inhabitants per square mile (603.2/km ). There were 1,766 housing units at an average density of 399.5 per square mile (154.2/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 70.1% White , 2.3% African American , 1.5% Native American , 0.6% Asian , 23.1% from other races , and 2.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 43.1% of

261-503: The 1860s there was competition between Umatilla and Wallula, Washington to become the "Sacramento of the Upper Columbia" but the gold rush wouldn't last long enough to support either town's growth beyond frontier villages. Umatilla remained a vital commercial center until the late 1870s, when the removal of the rapids in 1877 allowed boats traveling from The Dalles to continue directly to Wallula and beyond. The following year

290-485: The area; trailing neighboring Hermiston in household income by nearly 23%. The city is on the south side of the Columbia River along U.S. Route 730 and I-82 . The Umatilla Chemical Depot , is 6 miles (10 km) southwest of the city, northwest of the intersection of I-84 and I-82. Before European settlement, the peninsula formed by the convergence of the Umatilla and Columbia rivers had been occupied by

319-407: The average family size was 3.51. In the city, the population was spread out, with 31.0% under the age of 18, 12.1% from 18 to 24, 34.7% from 25 to 44, 16.5% from 45 to 64, and 5.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females, there were 137.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 157.3 males. The median income for a household in the city

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348-590: The base was expected to be transferred for state and private use by early 2015. The timeline was pushed back by the Columbia Development Authority, first to 2016 and then to 2017 and into 2018, due to complications during cleanup. After the planned decommissioning and transfer of land in 2018, the Oregon Military Department plans to use part of the base for a training facility, while the rest becomes industrial land and

377-456: The base's stockpile. While destroying 50% of its stockpile took six years (until August 2010), the processing of the second 50% was expected to take only two years. The process is simplified by having only 1 short ton (2,000 lb; 910 kg) containers of HD remaining to be processed while multiple kinds of individual munitions containing several agents were destroyed early in the campaign. An emphasis on risk reduction prioritised destruction of

406-464: The buildings on the original townsite were bought and demolished. The relocation would turn out to be for naught as the water level at this point in the river was not affected by the dam's reservoir. Umatilla's original street grid can still be seen north of the railroad tracks and is now a nature preserve and protected archaeological site. It is still owned by the Corps of Engineers and is not accessible to

435-416: The city. The population density was 1,415.3 inhabitants per square mile (546.5/km ). There were 1,511 housing units at an average density of 429.6 per square mile (165.9/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 72.10% White, 2.69% African American, 1.35% Native American, 0.38% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander , 21.49% from other races, and 1.93% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 32.58% of

464-586: The gold fields. That same year Timothy K. Davenport surveyed for a town site at the mouth of the Umatilla River and filed a plat in 1863. The site was chosen for its location just below the Umatilla Rapids, which formed a navigational headwater on the Columbia and prevented boats from traveling further upstream without needing to be portaged or needing their cargo transferred to a new boat above

493-693: The indigenous Umatilla people for at least 10,000 years, being the site of temporary and seasonal villages, fishing and later horse breeding. On their return trip from the mouth of the Columbia River in 1806, the Lewis and Clark Expedition made note in their journals of a village on the site. The first Umatilla post office was established in September 1851 at the Umatilla Indian Agency about 5 miles (8 km) east of Pendleton, but

522-597: The last barrel of HD mustard agent was destroyed and there is no longer a risk of chemical accident in Oregon and Washington. The original town site of Umatilla was abandoned completely when the United States Corps of Engineers determined that it would likely be inundated by the construction of the John Day Dam . Between 1965 and 1968 the town was completely rebuilt south of the railroad tracks and all of

551-598: The most modern and dangerous compounds (VX and GB) and destruction of smaller containers, which had greater risk of theft, explosion, and leakage. The Oregon Citizens' Advisory Commission , whose members include area residents appointed by the Governor , is a focal point for public participation in the Army's weapons storage and disposal program in Umatilla. Dismantling of the chemical disposal facility began in August 2013, and

580-407: The population. There were 1,364 households, out of which 45.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.2% were married couples living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.1% were non-families. 16.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.14 and

609-440: The population. There were 1,634 households, of which 50.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.2% were married couples living together, 14.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 8.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 25.6% were non-families. 18.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

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638-592: The public. Umatilla is 30 miles (48 km) northwest of Pendleton . According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 4.63 square miles (11.99 km ), of which, 4.42 square miles (11.45 km ) is land and 0.21 square miles (0.54 km ) is water. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Umatilla has a semi-arid climate , abbreviated "BSk" on climate maps. As of

667-457: The rapids. The site was first known as Umatilla Landing, then Umatilla City, then Columbia, then Umatilla City once again over the next year or so. Its post office was established in 1863 with Z. F. Moody as postmaster. Umatilla quickly became an important trade and distribution center not just for gold rush travelers but for the growing population of farmers and ranchers in the surrounding region. A business district developed along Water Street at

696-403: The river's edge and at the town's peak it had 3 hotels, 22 saloons, 6 mercantiles and 3 grocery stores, among others. It won the county seat of Umatilla County by a small margin on March 6, 1865 But would only remain so until 1868 when it was moved to the burgeoning village of Pendleton . That same year the first newspaper (A tri-weekly) was established. For a brief time during the gold rush in

725-541: Was $ 33,844, and the median income for a family was $ 32,969. Males had a median income of $ 28,500 versus $ 20,337 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 11,469. About 15.6% of families and 19.4% of the population were below the poverty line , including 24.2% of those under age 18 and 21.1% of those age 65 or over. The city has seen some industrial investment in recent years through Amazon Web Service 's data centers, however wages have stagnated. The 2017 median household income in Umatilla of $ 38,796 represented

754-437: Was 3.15 and the average family size was 3.59. The median age in the city was 30.7 years. 26.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 11.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 35.6% were from 25 to 44; 20.2% were from 45 to 64; and 6.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 63.7% male and 36.3% female. As of the census of 2000, there were 4,978 people, 1,364 households, and 1,062 families residing in

783-719: Was discontinued in January 1852. The Umatilla Indian Reservation was created in 1855 after the Walla Walla Council treaty and many of the Umatilla, Cayuse and Walla Walla tribes relocated there, with the vast majority of their lands being given over to the US government. Not long after, when gold was discovered in the Boise Basin of Idaho and in Montana in 1862, the Columbia River became an important passageway inland to

812-424: Was relocated to Echo, Oregon , 14 miles to the southeast in 1901. By the early 1910s, Umatilla was making a resurgence as an agricultural center and a new business district was forming along 3rd and 4th Streets, facing away from the river and towards the railroad tracks. Once again the town had several hotels and even a bank. In 1916 several women launched secret bids for local office, resulting in what has been called

841-398: Was to store and maintain a variety of military items, from blankets to ammunition . The depot took on its chemical weapons storage mission in 1962 and stored 12% of the nation's stockpile. From 1990 to 1994, the facility reorganized in preparation for eventual closure, shipping all conventional ammunition and supplies to other installations. The Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility

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