Submitted by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers

Public Affairs Office

SEATTLE – The Okanogan River basin flood team from the Seattle District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, began work May 25 to assist Okanogan County in closing a section on the left bank of the breached Riverside levee. The Clark Fork team is continuing work on the Turah Levee in Missoula County, Montana, and both teams and the Pend Oreille team are monitoring levees and providing technical assistance to local communities as rivers remain above flood stage.

Work on the Riverside and Turah levees is expected to be complete by the end of the weekend.

Warm temperatures combined with above normal snow levels have created a situation where Pend Oreille River flows downstream of Albeni Falls Dam and the level of Lake Pend Oreille are likely to remain above flood stage through the 10-day forecast period. Albeni Falls Dam operational information is available on line at:

http://www.nws.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Locks-and-Dams/Albeni-Falls-Dam/

Corps of Engineers’ officials warn boaters and the public to be safe and watch out for floating or submerged logs or debris on Lake Pend Oreille. For safety purposes, all of Albeni Falls’ boat ramps are closed including Riley Creek’s. The Corps’ swim beaches are all closed for swimming. There is no re-opening scheduled yet.

Seattle District flood teams have completed 17 direct assistance requests in the Okanogan River basin in Washington, in the Clark Fork River basin in Montana and in the Pend Oreille River basin in Idaho and Washington.

The Corps has provided about 1,460,500 sandbags, 2,800 Super Sacks and five pumps with 1,400 lineal feet of hose and delivered 2,340 lineal feet of Hescos to local governments and Tribes.

Flood fight teams are coordinating with the States of Washington, Idaho and Montana. Agency representatives will continue to coordinate with the Tribes, counties and cities along the rivers.

Public Law 84-99 authorizes USACE to provide flood fight assistance at the request of local officials when rivers are at or above flood stage and local resources are fully used.

Private citizens seeking sandbags should contact their local government offices.

USACE coordinates closely with the National Weather Service. The Weather Service issues flood watches and warnings and should be consulted for that information.