>La Grande Observer | Union and Wallowa Counties' News Leader

JOSEPH — A 52-year-old Joseph woman drowned Tuesday in the Dobbin irrigation ditch north of Joseph.

The body of Deborah Fisher was found in the ditch about 4:30 p.m. following a 3 1/2-hour search.

Fisher was with her dog at Joseph City Park, Sheriff Fred Steen said. She had called her husband, Rick, at home about the dog.

When the husband arrived neither she nor the dog were there.

The husband called the sheriff’s office, which initiated a search.

The Wallowa River flows through the park. Below there it is diverted into two ditches.

Police interviewed two juveniles fishing off the McCully Street Bridge.

They reported seeing a woman with clothing matching Fisher’s float down the ditch.

Along with the Wallowa County Search and Rescue, an ODFW volunteer and Ditchmaster Ben Tippett, more than 30 people were involved in the search.

“I can’t thank Ditchmaster Ben Tippett enough. He quickly lowered the level of the water in the ditches, which helped the search effort immensely,” Steen said.

The matter is under investigation by the Wallowa County Sheriff’s Office, but Steen said he thinks that this was likely an accident.

One possibility is that Fisher went into the river to help her dog, Steen said.

The dog is still missing. It is an older Australian Shepherd that is partially blind and has other medical issues, Steen said.