Flood Emergency declared in Eddy County

Overland flooding in eastern Eddy County has led county commissioners to sign a Flood Emergency Declaration.

Commissioners met with Eddy County Emergency Manager, Lisa Thompson, on Monday, May 9, for a special meeting to discuss the situation.

Thompson reported that she'd toured Columbia, Cherry Lake, Lake Washington and Tiffany Townships that morning to survey the flooding and to speak with residents.

According to Thompson, an official gauge from the National Weather Service (NWS) at Camp Grafton South measured more than three inches of rain as of 9:30 a.m. Monday morning. Further south, residents reported that more than 6 inches of rain had descended in the area, with more coming down.

In Columbia Township, overland flooding was threatening to overcome farmsteads and roads. Meanwhile, in Cherry Lake township, a culvert washed out on a township road approximately 1/2 mile north of County Road 3.

After a brief discussion and with Thompson's recommendation, county commissioners signed the Flood Emergency Declaration for Eddy County, making it possible to acquire state funds should cleanup and repair of damages be "in excess of available resources."

The declaration states, in part, "The Board of Eddy County Commissioners declares Eddy County, its cities, its public and private areas, to be an emergency area and orders the activation and utilization of the Emergency Operations Plan ... to monitor the situation, develop a detailed damage assessment, alleviate hardship, and initiate appropriate relief actions and mitigation measures."

Though residential flooding had not occurred in Eddy County at the time of Monday's special meeting, Thompson included Eddy County's cities in the declaration given the high water level of the James River.

"We're lucky this rain didn't fall west of our cities," said Thompson. "Had six inches fallen west of New Rockford we could be talking about sandbagging."

Thompson added that more rain in the coming weeks could yet pose a threat to New Rockford homes along the James River.

On May 9, the National Weather Service in Grand Forks issued another Hazardous Weather Outlook for Eddy County, in which more hazardous weather was predicted for the coming days.

According to the outlook, "Hazardous weather is expected Wednesday and Thursday, possibly into Friday (May 11-13). Impacts stem mainly from the potential for additional and/or prolonged flooding due to heavy rainfall and severe weather."

Residents should begin taking some precautions now, said Thompson, such as moving items in the basement to higher locations. She also cautioned against going into flooded areas.

"The way the culverts are running it wouldn't take much to suck someone into a culvert, and you just never know what could happen after that," she said.

As of Tuesday, May 10, the Eddy County Road Department was still inspecting county and township roads for flood damage, and Thompson said on Tuesday that extensive damages should be expected.

"Things are still moving and flooding as we're going ... so people just need to be extremely careful," cautioned Thompson. "Do not go into standing and flowing water, because you just don't know how fast it's moving or what's eroded away underneath."