Monday, January 20, 2025
5.0°F

Corps: Flooding could surpass 2011

KEITH KINNAIRD | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 6 years, 8 months AGO
by KEITH KINNAIRD
News Editor | May 15, 2018 1:00 AM

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.

MORE FRONT-PAGE-SLIDER STORIES

Lake to exceed flood stage soon
Bonner County Daily Bee | Updated 6 years, 8 months ago
Lake could edge past flood stage
Coeur d'Alene Press | Updated 10 years, 7 months ago
Pend Oreille nearing bankfull stage
Bonner County Daily Bee | Updated 6 years, 8 months ago

ARTICLES BY KEITH KINNAIRD

March 7, 2010 11 p.m.

Revett seeks clarity on Rock Creek mine status

A status conference is pending in federal court to determine if developers of the proposed Rock Creek mine can initiate development of the project.

December 31, 2008 11 p.m.

Former pastor imprisoned for touching young girl

SANDPOINT, Idaho — A district judge declined to go along with a plea agreement which proposed a limited jail sentence for a former pastor who pleaded guilty to fondling a Priest Lake girl several years ago.

Judge orders life sentence in Bristow murder
April 21, 2021 1 a.m.

Judge orders life sentence in Bristow murder

Acosta ordered to serve life in prison for Bristow killing