The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District, has flood teams on the ground in the St. Joe and Coeur d’Alene river basins in Idaho and in Troy, Montana.
The Corps is working on a temporary measure to stabilize a section of levee on the St. Joe River in support of the City of St. Maries to address flood damages along approximately 300 feet of the levee. They are placing shale on the landward side to stabilize the berm and placing rip rap on the riverward side to repair the sloughing. This levee protects the City of St. Maries, including roads, water and sewer system, power, communications and interior drainage. Based on the current forecast and conditions, work is expected to be completed March 20.
The Kootenai basin team is assisting the county at Callahan Creek in Troy, Montana, where they are staging rock that could be used, if necessary, for a temporary emergency repair to the damaged levee in Troy. A team is providing technical assistance and conducting sandbag training for communities in the Coeur d’Alene basin at the request of Kootenai County.
The Corps has also supplied two pumps to Kootenai County and two to St. Maries, and distributed 5,000 sandbags to the City of Ellensburg, Washington, and 5,000 to the City of St. Maries.
Flood team members will be in the areas of concern to provide assistance as requested and monitor conditions until the major flood threat has passed.
Public Law 84-99 enables the Corps to assist state and local authorities in flood fight activities and cost share in the repair of flood protection structures. The purpose is to prevent loss of life and minimize property damage associated with severe weather.
Private citizens seeking sandbags should contact their local government offices.
The National Weather Service issues flood watches and warnings and should be consulted for that information.
Release no. 17-013