The laborious work of cleaning up and analyzing the damage left behind from back-to-back natural disasters continues in south Lincoln County.

Flooding the second week of December and damaging winds the following week caused yet to be determined damages that will cost millions of dollars to fix.

For the lower Flower Creek reservoir that sustained a breach, efforts are already underway to improve it so the boil water order can be lifted.

Libby city administrator Sam Sikes said a temporary coffer dam was put in Dec. 30-31. It is meant to hold water back and bypass the lower reservoir where any sediment can go into a basin before it enters the water treatment plant.

The goal is to reduce sediment levels so the boil order can be lifted by Montana Department of Environmental Quality officials. Sikes explained that the order can’t be lifted by the city.

“DEQ has to make that call,” Sikes said.

Later actions will include building a main coffer dam, then dredging the sediment for removal from the old reservoir.

Sikes urged patience from city residents who have been under the boil order for most of December.

“The city is working closely with the DEQ and hopes to begin testing and submitting the data as early as next week. This testing and flushing can take a couple of weeks to resolve and we ask for patience from everyone involved while we ensure that every safety precaution has been taken prior to the lifting the boil order,” Sikes said. “Although no timeline can be set by DEQ for lifting the boil order, the city hopes that all the data and actions that will satisfy the DEQ requirements and ensure the safety of our drinking water can be completed within the next two to three weeks.”

Last week on New Year’s Eve, officials from local, state and federal governments visited various sites that were damaged to conduct what they called “Joint Preliminary Damage Assessments” of public infrastructure, including roads, walkways, bridge and dam washouts.

The teams took measurements and gathered information needed to estimate repair costs. 

“This data will help determine the overall extent of the damage and financial impact,” Lincoln County Emergency Management Agency officials said in a Facebook post. “This information is critical and necessary to request a Major Disaster Declaration, which if approved could make additional recovery assistance available.”

White urged county residents who experienced property damage from the flood and wind events to complete the Flood Damage Self-Reporting Survey at https://shorturl.at/kDlZ4. 

“This survey helps the state and local partners understand the full scope of impacts to homes and private property and evaluate what assistance options may be available for individuals and households,” White said.

Officials involved in the work came from the City of Libby, Lincoln County, Montana Disaster and Emergency Services, Montana Department of Environmental Quality, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Florida Division of Emergency Management (through EMAC), FEMA and other agencies.

County officials are also asking community members who have volunteered, donated or used their equipment to help to fill out the following forms that will support reimbursement to the county.

“Tracking volunteer hours, donated resources and the use of personal equipment during disaster response and recovery is important,” county Public Health Manager Zach Sherbo said. “This information can help our community recover financially after a disaster. If you volunteered, donated items or used your own equipment to help, please use the following links to log your time and donations.”

- Donation Form Link --- https://form.jotform.com/253506259633157 

- Volunteer Form Link --- https://form.jotform.com/253505324702146 

- Volunteer Equipment Form Link --- https://form.jotform.com/253506645891162

Officials also recommended calling or texting the Disaster Distress Helpline (1-800-985-5990) because it provides free, confidential,  emotional support for anyone affected by natural or human-caused disasters.

The Libby VFW and local Red Cross volunteers continued to distribute bottled water while the city’s boil water order continued. It has also connected several veterans in town with thousands of dollars of disaster relief help.

The area also received help from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers when it deployed a flood fighting team to the county to support recovery efforts. Following flooding on Callahan Creek, their work in Troy included building diversion berms and stabilizing stream banks to help keep water flowing closer to its natural channel and reduce the risk to roads, utilities and other vital infrastructure.

The creek jumped its banks Dec. 11 and created a new channel that flooded homes and eroded one of the banks next the bridge on Lower Lake Creek Road.

These improvements provide immediate and long term benefits to the community by strengthening flood protection, improving public safety, and increasing resilience to future high water events.

According to the county Health Department, the Corps also completed flood mitigation work along Keeler Creek near Troy. After flooding on Dec. 11-12 caused bank erosion near the Lower Lake Creek Road bridge, the Corps constructed a berm to help keep future high flows from entering the nearby subdivision.

This work helps protect homes, reduces flood risk during future high water events, and stabilizes the creek near critical infrastructure. USACE crews are expected to remain in the area for a short time to monitor conditions and wrap up final site checks before demobilizing.