By BRIAN WALKER

Staff Writer

POST FALLS — An inch of the Spokane River’s depth at a time, Corbin Park is slowly returning to normalcy.

While the boat launch, a concrete pathway leading to a fishing pier and the shoreline remain under roaring water, popular disc golfing has returned in full force after a few holes were underwater from recent flooding.

“It’s nice to be able to play the full course again,” said Post Falls’ Jacques Wilson before tossing toward hole No. 8 on Tuesday night. “This is what Corbin is all about — finally being able to enjoy the outdoors.”

It’s been a tough winter and spring at the park below Avista Utilities’ dam at Post Falls as heavy snow earlier closed the site.

Post Falls Parks and Recreation director Dave Fair has watched spring flooding invade Corbin Park several times over the past 20 years, but this year took the high-water mark.

“It was the highest I’ve seen in terms of the volume of water,” he said. “And we’re still not done.”

The river continues to erode around the roots of trees as water is still whipping around the bend through the park.

Fair said Corbin is always the hardest-hit Post Falls park on the Spokane River with flooding because it’s just below the dam and the water swirls on stretches of the park. The river at the park is also infamous for swift currents that have resulted in several deaths over the years.

“The layout of the river really bounces the water around,” Fair said.

Fair said the full extent of the flooding damage at the park won’t likely be assessed for up to two weeks until the water recedes.

“We’ll have to do a lot of cleanup and remove debris,” he said, adding that there will be labor and material costs. “We just won’t know more until the water goes down.”

Fair said some wire baskets with rocks have been in place at the park to help stabilize some amenities along the shoreline and prevent them from further damage or being washed away.

“Even as the river goes down, we could still see some flooding behind the ballfield because flows change,” Fair said.

He said the city may apply for emergency disaster funding under the declaration made by Gov. Butch Otter last month to assist the region with flooding costs. Fair said the city doesn’t have an emergency fund dedicated for such a purpose.

“That (assistance) money will only cover part of the cost,” he said. “We’ll also have to look at our insurance. We’ll look at all sources.”

Fair said battling park shoreline erosion issues isn’t anything new for Post Falls, as its Kiwanis and Black Bay parks have also sustained damage from high water in the river over the years.

“It’s just another spring day,” he said.

Flood damage forms due April 11

The Kootenai County Office of Emergency Management is collecting information on the economic and structural impact to the community caused by ongoing flooding and mudslides.

The preliminary damage assessment process helps to identify the overall impact to the community. It does not guarantee any types of assistance, but it will be used to review opportunities for assistance.

The damage form is at www.ioem.idaho.gov. Fill in pertinent fields regarding damages and include photos, if possible.

Email the completed forms with photo attachments by April 11 to rIrish@kcgov.us or mail to: Kootenai County Office of Emergency Management, P.O. Box 9000, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83816-9000.

Eight other counties, including Boundary, Bonner, Shoshone, Benewah, Latah, Clearwater, Lewis and Idaho, are part of the disaster declaration signed by Gov. Butch Otter on March 17.

For more information, call 446-1775.