Corps: Flooding could surpass 2011
CLARK FORK — A flood team from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Seattle District are conducting erosion countermeasures to protect Johnson Creek Road.
Warm temperatures, combined with above-normal snow levels in the Pend Oreille basin, is expected to keep the Pend Oreille River above flood stage downstream from the Albeni Falls Dam for at least the next 10 days and possibly longer.
“Flows on the Pend Oreille River and Lake Pend Oreille are now forecast to meet or possibly exceed 2011 levels.” the agency said in a news release issued on Monday.
Flooding on Lake Pend Oreille caused the lake to crest at 2,064.3 feet in 2011, the eighth-highest crest on record for the body of water, according to the National Weather Service. That level is about a foot higher than flood stage and about 2 feet higher than the lake’s summer pool elevation of 2,062.5 feet.
A flood warning remains in effect on the river below the dam and the lake until further notice and minor flooding is being forecast. The lake is expected to surpass flood stage by Thursday afternoon it’s anticipated that the level will reach 2,065.2 feet by Monday morning, with additional rises possible, the Weather Service said.
The lake was at 2,062.5 feet on Monday at the gauge in Hope.
At 2,063.5 feet, minor flooding around docks, yards and recreation areas in the Pack and Clark Fork river valleys can be expected, according to NWS. Shoreline erosion from wave action is possible along windward shores. At 2,064 feet, minor flooding will affect additional lowlands in the aforementioned river valleys. At 2,065.5 feet, flooding of some lakeside homes and docks is likely, according to the flood warning.
Bonner County Emergency Management has made available sand and sandbags at various locations, including the county’s Road & Bridge shop in Priest River, the city of Sandpoint’s shop on industrial drive. Selkirk Fire Rescue & EMS has sand and bags at its station in Sagle and the Northside Fire District is similarly provisioned at its Rapid Lightning Road station.
The corps’ Seattle District has distributed 685,000 sandbags in Idaho, Washington and Montana.
Keith Kinnaird can be
reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.