Breaking news: Evacuees coming back to Rocky Boy

Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation could be setting plans by Saturday night to bring the last of its residents evacuated due to flooding home, Chippewa Cree Tribal council Member John "Chance" Houle said today.

Federal officials told U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., that the assessment of damages on the reservation are likely to be complete by Monday, allowing Gov. Brian Schweitzer — as well as Tester and Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont. — to take action to help Rocky Boy with the damage.

Houle said most of the water threatening the agency dam — a blocked culvert created a new reservoir on the other side of an access road next to the dam, threatening it if the water washed out or overflowed the road — should be drained soon with a new channel dug today.

Access is being restored to homes, allowing people living in all but four residences on Lower Box Elder Road to return to the reservation. Houle said work to restore access and water to all is under way, and the planning to bring back residents of the last four homes could start tonight.

The reservation has been in emergency mode since it received four to five inches of rain in a couple of days last week, causing severe flooding and damage.

Federal and state officials are in Hill County, assessing damage on the reservation and in other flooded areas.

Scott Sanders, external affairs officer with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said he expects the assessment of the damage at Rocky Boy to be sent to Gov. Brian Schweitzer by Monday.

Based on those figures, the governor can then determine whether to ask for a disaster declaration by President Barack Obama.

As the damage is on a sovereign Indian reservation, Schweitzer cannot declare the area a disaster nor expend state disaster or emergency funds. He can request the president to declare a disaster, which then would allow federal agencies to provide funds and aid.

Tester said that once the assessment is done, he and Baucus also can act, working with the federal agencies like FEMA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,

"Then we need to get the money on the ground as soon as possible," he said.