PORTLAND - Rain was expected to return late Sunday, but the weekend break in the weather allowed floodwaters to recede across the state, and flood watches were lifted for all major rivers.

The state Department of Transportation reported Sunday afternoon that one lane of U.S. 26 had reopened following Thursday's landslide at milepost 35 east of Sandy.

With only one lane open, crews are directing traffic through the pass in alternating cycles. ODOT says to expect delays of at least 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, crews cleared mulitple slides to reopen the Historic Columbia River Highway between the Vista House and Multnomah Falls.

More rain on the way

Saturday brought brief relief from rain. However, another storm system was expected to move into the area late on Sunday and into Monday, bringing more rain to the region.

The combination of snow melt and heavy rain caused widespread flooding across the state. The northwest was pounded by more than 24 hours of nonstop rain Thursday and Friday.

Coming on top of December's record snowfall, the heavy rain caused widespread flooding in the region. Dozens of major roadways were closed or submerged in running water at the height of the flooding, with mudslides reported from the coast to the gorge to Mt. Hood.

The city of Portland received about 3.05 inches of rain in a 24-hour period between Thursday and Friday, shattering a 25-year-old record for rainfall, KGW Meteorologist Dave Salesky said.

Johnson Creek crested just half a foot below the record set during the February 1996 floods.

The big worry for the City of Portland was bacteria in the flood water. City officials urged residents to avoid contact with the flood water if at all possible.

The Oregon Coast accumulated more than twice as much rain as the Metro area, with some areas receiving as much as 7.5 inches of rain. Vancouver saw about 2.77 inches.

Rain was expected to resume late in the weekend, with showers in the forecast for much of the next week.

5 injured by Lake Oswego slide

One mud slide in Lake Oswego injured five people when it hit a house in an upscale neighborhood. Mud and debris flowed downhill, across a road and then slammed into the home, trapping a family inside. They eventually managed to scramble out a window.

Another slide broke loose near Portland's famed Rose Garden. And in the Eagle Creek area, residents said about 200 homes were blocked by a mud slide on Heiple Road.

Outside of the Metro area, a large mud slide blocked Highway 26 at Brightwood. Motorists were advised to use Highway 35 to access Mt. Hood over the weekend but were cautioned to expect delays due to an increased volume of vehicles and snow and icy conditions in the area on Saturday.

Another a slide moved across a section of Highway 101 near Cloverdale.

Along Kellog Creek, the water overflowed its banks and flooded about 30 homes. Angie Bemis said she suddenly had more than a foot of water inside her home.

"It was like a river coming in to my place and it was definitely like a river outside my place," she said. "I was very shaky and scared; I've never been through anything like this before."

In Portland, several roads had sections closed off due to high water and sandbags were made available for residents who needed them. By Saturday afternoon, all Portland area roads affected by high water had been re-opened.

In Sandy, buildings at an industrial park were damaged by floodwaters. The city closed a water main, leaving some without water service. Damage to an optic fiber line caused phone and cell phone outages. The city's 911 service was out for a time, but restored on a limited basis.

Clackamas County declares emergency
The Clackamas County Board of Commissioners declared a state of emergency as a result of heavy rains and snow melt causing flooding and landslides. They specifically requested resources to protect buildings from high waters as well as equipment to help move supplies to needed areas and remove debris from roads and streets.

At the peak of the flooding, there were approximately 60 roads closed and people who had to drive were asked to avoid standing or flowing water.

In addition, about 30 families and their pets were evacuated from the Carver Road Mobile Home Ranch to a shelter at Damascus Community Christian Church.

In the Columbia River Gorge, the Oregon Department of Transportation activated a debris flow warning system for Interstate 84 through the Columbia Gorge and Oregon 6. A landslide blocked a portion of the scenic highway near Vista house.

Coastal flooding
The National Weather Service said the storm brought high winds and seas to the Oregon coast, with gusts measured up to 60 mph Thursday and waves cresting at about 25 feet.

The Oregon Department of Transportation reported that water reaching 16 inches high closed Oregon 22 about four miles west of the junction with Oregon 18. High water also closed U.S. 101 between Seaside and U.S. 101's junction with U.S. 26.

Authorities opened a shelter at the Tillamook County Fairgrounds and warned residents and businesses in flood areas to evacuate.

Vernonia
In Vernonia, where some victims of the December 2007 floods were still living in federally-distributed trailers, city officials were alerting people where shelters could be found, if necessary.

"Anytime there's a flood warning that comes out, everybody gets a little nervous," Police Chief Michael Kay said. "Our main is goal was to be as prepared as possible, so if it did start to flood we could immediately start helping our residents."

Central Oregon
The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office got scores of calls because of wind damage. Scott Jordan, who lives east of Bend, told KTVZ-TV he saw a "twisting, dust-devil looking cloud" take down four of his big trees.

"I hit the deck until it passed over me," he said.

Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort shut down Thursday afternoon because of a power outage. The lifts could have run on backup power, but electricity was spotty in the lodges. "Without steady power in the lodges it was a better call sending people home to watch football," said an announcement on its Web site.