Residents warned of flooding potential
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POLSON — “It’s really not if, it’s when,” predicted Steve Stanley, director of Lake County’s Office of Emergency Management.
According to Stanley and other local officials, Lake County residents should prepare for potential flooding problems. Stanley and Dale Nelson, Emergency Management Director with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal, have been meeting weekly if not more often with Bob McCrea, CSKT Division of Fire, and other first response personnel. Stanley said residents along the east shore have already begun sandbagging.
Recently Stanley hauled in 25,000 sandbags from the Army Corps of Engineers in Libby.
“The tribes brought in about the same,” he said.
The Finley Point Volunteer Fire Department hauled in a truckload of sand and helped fill sandbags. Both Lake County and the CSKT are offering the sandbags to residents on a case-by-case basis.
Stanley said Lake County Commissioners declared an emergency for flood funding although they do have some money left from the last emergency declaration. Carey Cooley is keeping a daily log on area creeks and streams and flooding, Stanley added, and the commissioners and Flathead Irrigation Project personnel are briefed on a daily basis.
Even so, “the potential (for flooding) is still huge,” Stanley said. The bulk of snow in the Mission and Swan Mountains will probably not melt for another month.
Stanley encourages homeowners who live near water to learn the history of the stream, creek or lake. Has it flooded in the past? How high was the flood water? Be aware and plan for the worst case scenario, Stanley added, which might mean getting furniture and other items up off the floor or out of the basement or stocking extra supplies and water if there’s a chance a bridge or road might wash out.
“In my times around here, I don’t know that we’ve had this much moisture up high,” Stanley said. The last flooding problem on Flathead Lake was in 1964 and that was caused by rain, he explained. Flathead Lake is nearing full pool, which exposes docks to damage if there is a big storm.
“The other card is how much rain we get,” Stanley said. Melting snows in the high country and rain all add up to more water, and it has got to go somewhere.
“Anything from Blue Bay south is going to be a concern,” Stanley explained.
That includes Hellroaring Creek, Post Creek and Crow Creek areas. He thinks they might peak on June 9 or 10.
Stanley is also worried about the Little Bitterroot near Niarada that has already overflowed its banks and covered the road in a couple of places. In the Rollins area, Stanley noted there has been water over the road and Lake Mary Ronan is at “full pool.”
Be aware of what’s going on and let Stanley’s office know if you see logs rammed into bridges or culverts plugged with debris.
For additional questions or to ask about sandbags, contact Stanley at the Office of Emergency Management at 883-7253.
