Clark Fork breaches banks

Rising rivers have caused flooding throughout Sanders County, and the Clark Fork River is expected to crest later this week.

Bill Naegeli with the Sanders County Office of Emergency Management said that the smaller streams in the area don't seem to be a problem, but the Clark Fork River in Plains is of the most concern. Flooding is occurring River Road West and River Road East, as well as the area near the Plains sewage lagoons.

Naegeli said that people need to be cautious anywhere they see water flowing over roadways. He also said that with the Clark Fork River flows so high throughout the county, flooding concerns stretch to Lake Pend Oreille in Idaho.

At NorthWestern Energy's Thompson Falls dam over the weekend, the flow reached 103,000 cubic feet per second. The dam uses 23,320 for its normal operation. Crews have been working daily to clear jams, using cranes and saws to move the large logs and other debris. On Monday, it was observed that steel stanchions had been removed from the dam. The last time those were removed due to high water was in 2011. After the high water receded in 2011, the river had to be drained in order for crews to replace the steel stanchions.

With this year's high water requiring those stanchions at the dam to again be removed, it is likely that water above the Thompson Falls dam will again have to be lowered to allow the dam to be repaired after high water is over.

Local real estate agent and pilot Dave Bennett observed the area flooding from the air last weekend, capturing photos of flooding in Plains, as well as in the Eddy Flats area. Water could be seen encroaching upon the Rocky Point Ranch, as well as flooding the island between Eddy Flats and Thompson River.

Naegeli said that water is nearing some residences on River Road West. Sandbags are available at the Plains/Paradise Rural Fire Department on Old Airport Road in Plains.