Rocky Boy hit by flooding

The second major flood event in two months is causing mass destruction on Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation, and floodwaters are again swamping campgrounds in Beaver Creek Park and lower Beaver Creek.

Hill County Commissioner Mike Anderson said that, although the flooding started to dropping faster, the rains last week caused more flooding than the rains and melting snow did in May.

At Rocky Boy, the Tribal departments are working to keep people out of dangerous areas, provide essential services and give shelter to displaced people.

"In this kind of incident it's public safety first. We're trying to look out for the public wellbeing," said Curtis Monteau, incident commander at Rocky Boy Monteau, speaking during a hurried interview in between emergency meetings, said the water is starting to recede, and Tribal officials are just starting to assess the damages. In some places that damage is on a critical level, he said.

Monteau said he estimates that some 35 people have been evacuated due to safety concerns, but he could not estimate how Many had to flee due to actual flooding damage to property.

Another concern is numerous breaks to water lines cutting off the supply of potable water, especially in villages near Box Elder. Monteau said the Tribe is supplying bottled water to people in shelters, and a company from Chinook will be out later today or tomorrow to set up water stations.

The water has cut off access to the Tribes essential services center and clinic, with those services being relocated for now. Monteau said the clinic has been set up as a triage-only center at the moment.

Another major problem has been at the agency dam, he said. The Tribe now is pumping water over the road by the dam, which also serves as a water break, into the dam itself.

That seems to be working at the moment, Monteau said, with the water s taying level .

Residents still are being kept out of the drainage area due to safety concerns, he said.

The Tribal government declared a major emergency, setting up an incident command center at the Natural Resources Department on the reservation and shelters at the votech center on the Stone Child College campus and other relocation areas as well.

Roads were closed during the flood event, and significant damage appears to have occurred to the transportation infrastructure at the reservation.

People were asked to call the incident command post at 395-4207 or the Tribal police department 395-4513 with information about flooding problems.

"We urge all Tribal residents to remain calm as the Tribe is mobilized to accommodate this emergency activity, and work with the local Tribal departments during this high water incident," the Tribal government said in a press release over the weekend.

Anderson said the water in Beaver Creek already is subsiding, at least in the upper end of the park. Beave r Cre e k Reservoir about eight miles south of Havre was still rising t h i s mo r n i n g , a l t h o u g h Anderson said it is expected to crest today.

Additional lowland flooding along the creek from Beaver Creek Dam to the Milk River is expected to increase for a few days, he said, and probably will be higher than the flooding in May.

The water also is going over the spillway at Fresno Dam, although Anderson said that was expected to crest Sunday or today.

In Blaine County, the government officials expect the Milk River to rise and crest between Thursday and Saturday, Commissioner Vic Miller, public information officer for the county government, said in a press release.

"(People) are urged to use caution and report any dramatic rises in water on the Milk and its tributaries," Miller said, adding that high water levels are expected on the Lodge Creek and Battle Creek drainages.

Miller urged landowners to move machinery, personal items and livestock away from lower levels as a precaution.

For more information on the Blaine County situation, people can contact Blaine County Disaster and Emergency Services Coordinator Haley Gustitis at 357-3310 or the Blaine County Commissioners at 357-3250.