The Chairman of the Crow Tribe, Carl Venne, declared a disaster area on the Crow Reservation Monday. The tribe is looking for financial assistance after this weekend's flooding washed out roads, drowned crops and filled basements with water.
Venne says the damage ranges into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The Little Big Horn River surged at Wyola, and overflowed its banks from Lodgegrass all the way to Crow Agency. It started Thursday night and some areas got up to five inches of rain in just 48 hours.
The water has receded, but now the focus is on cleanup. Home owners and business owners spent the day pumping water from basements, hoping to prevent mold from growing. We also toured vast amounts of farmland that have been flooded.
The crops are already starting to die and that has the tribe asking the USDA for assistance. A precautionary boil order is still in effect for all drinking water that comes from ground wells. Indian Health Services says the water could be contaminated.
A flood warning for the Little Big Horn River was in affect until at 9 p.m. Monday.
Traffic is once again being allowed on I-90 after some massive flooding forced authorities to shut down the freeway between Hardin and Sheridan over the weekend. In addition to the interstate, several roads had to be closed on the Crown Indian Reservation because of the high water.
We're told that high water levels on the Little Big Horn River are receding and that as of late Sunday the only road still closed was a 1.5 mile stretch of River Road near Crow Agency.
Meanwhile crews spent Sunday enforcing berms in the Lodge Grass area where much of the flooding originated. Crews tell us one major problem is that the ground in the flood area is completely saturated ant that's a situation that could present problems if the rain continues.
Officials with the Indian Health Service have also issued a precautionary boil order for drinking water that comes from ground wells.
(from June 8, 2007)
Some areas in Yellowstone County have been dealing with flooding as the result of heavy rains that saturated the area.
On Thursday residents who live south of Billings along Blue Creek were dealing with rising water that flooded backyards while creeping closer to the base of the Robindale Bridge. There's also an unplayable water hazard caused by flooding at the fourth hole on the Briarwood Golf Course.
County Commissioner John Ostlund says Blue Creek near Briarwood is creating problems for residents.
"It has definitely overflowed its banks and is causing problems for homeowners as well as drivers."
When we made a visit to the area Thursday, we only witnessed few people trying to cross a road that was hit by flood waters, but officials warned that it had the possibility of washing out as the waters were rushing pretty rapidly across it.
It was also a busy day for anyone living close to the flood plain. Briarwood homeowner, Kori Devries says the flood waters came up quicker than expected.
"This morning when we woke up, we had discovered that the creek had flooded and was starting to come up over the berm, and at first we didn't really think we were in too much danger. But as the morning grew the water started to come over the berm and into our yard and into the crawl space of the house. All the sand bagging and the sand that was brought in was done by neighbors, so without the neighbors today we'd really be in trouble, that was great to have their support."
Briarwood wasn't the only area of flooding across Yellowstone County Thursday. Commissioner Ostlund also checked out the southwest corner of the Yellowstone County where the Clarks Fork River had overflowed its banks.
Meanwhile the heavy rain that hit ground that was already saturated from spring runoff has created a big flooding problem in Roberts. Officials with the Carbon County Sheriff's Office say that Roberts and the Cooney Dam area have been hit the hardest.
Residents tell us that the flooding started early Wednesday afternoon and since they were not in any real danger some residents headed out and enjoyed the water in Roberts. Many sat outside the Lost Village Saloon where it was almost a festive atmosphere.
One man says he learned from the heavy runoff and flooding that occurred two years ago and protected his home with a rock wall. Other Roberts residents say since they can't do anything about the flooding they're trying to stay positive.
Officials with the Carbon County Sheriff's Office say while there have been no reports of injuries or major problems they are still recommending that residents stay home and avoid traveling until the flooding subsides.
While the heavy creek flow could cause problems in Carbon County officials with the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation say they're most concerned about the Tongue River Reservoir.
An overflow there could cause flooding near the Tongue River in Ashland. DNRC officials add that heavy rain in Sheridan, Dayton and Ranchester will flow into an already full reservoir. The Tongue River Reservoir also overflowed in May.
Meanwhile some roads are flooded 10 miles south of Lodge Grass where Big Horn County and the Bureau of Indian Affairs officials reported flooding in Lodge Grass, Wyola, as well as in the Pass Creek and Soap Creek areas. As a result on Thursday DIA officials issued a travel advisory.
