Clear Creek hit by flooding swelling Montana rivers, washing out roads

Blaine County saw some of the impacts of the recent flooding that is devastating areas in southwestern and central Montana and led to a disaster declaration for the state, with more storms and precipitation increasing concerns in those areas.

Flooding levels in Clear Creek were dropping this morning and no precipitation is in the forecast for this part of Montana, but a new storm brought more snow to areas of Montana where hundreds of people have been left cut off by swollen rivers and impassable waterlogged roads.

Authorities warned that the new precipitation Monday night and today could make the flooding worse.

National Weather Service issued a flood warning at 4:12 a.m. today, saying Clear Creek came out of its banks near Chinook and was flooding low-lying areas and roads. Machinist Road was impassable and parts of Clear Creek Road were flooded, the warning said.

Water levels in Clear Creek were dropping at 4 a.m., the warning said, but were still above flood stage.

The warning also tells motorists to "turn around, don't drown," advising that people should not try to drive vehicles through flooded sections of roads.

Weather Service reports on selected sites are available online at http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/index.php?wfo=tfx

The region has had severe flooding in three of the past four years, with the president declaring federal disasters in those years.

The snow was expected to move today into neighboring Wyoming where members of the National Guard were helping to protect two towns threatened by high water.

National Weather Service said 1 to 6 inches of snow could fall in the flooded areas of Montana and Wyoming before tonight. No precipitation is predicted.

Montana Gov. Steve Bullock declared a flood emergency late Monday after forecasters put 30 of the state's 56 counties under some type of high water warning.

Musselshell County in central Montana appeared to be hardest hit: dirt roads in rural areas turned to mud, some bridges were blocked by high water and the Musselshell River threatened to overcome protective dikes in Roundup.

Warm weather over the past week unleashed massive amounts of water from record snowfalls that have blanketed the region. That pushed many streams and rivers over their banks, authorities said.

Impassable roads cut off about 350 people south and east of Roundup, Musselshell County disaster coordinator Jeff Gates said.

Officials advised residents to stay in place if possible and were crafting plans to ensure sufficient food and medical supplies were available to any stranded residents.

Hundreds more in the Dean Creek subdivision southwest of Roundup also were cut off for a time until the situation improved Monday evening. But officials advised residents to remain ready to leave if necessary.

Temperatures were forecast to drop below freezing overnight as the rain turns to snow.

"If it freezes and we get snow, the roads will freeze and it will help us," Gates said.

In Wyoming, Guard members stacked up sand bags in Manderson and Greybull. National Weather Service says sandbags were used to divert water around the Manderson school and water treatment plant. No evacuations were reported.

Seven homes were damaged in Greybull over the weekend but the extent of damage wasn't immediately clear, said Wyoming Office of Homeland Security spokeswoman Kelly Ruiz. Video posted by the homeland security office showed the river full of ice chunks Sunday and a home protected by sand bags surrounded by water.

Mountain snowpack across both states already is well above average, setting the stage for more high water when the spring runoff arrives. That's expected in May or early June, said National Weather Service forecaster Chauncy Schultz.

Officials were keeping a wary eye on ice-jams along the Musselshell River west of Roundup, which has about 1,900 people. Ice jams also were reported on the Yellowstone, Big Horn and other rivers in Montana and Wyoming.

If the ice jams break free, water levels downstream could rise and more people in low-lying areas evacuated on short notice, Gates said. A makeshift dike in Roundup built after flooding three years ago was successfully holding back the water.

By late Monday, the Musselshell had risen to levels not seen since severe flooding damaged hundreds of homes in 2011.

More than two dozen houses near the Musselshell River were evacuated. Schools in Roundup were canceled for today in anticipation that many teachers and students would not be able to make it.

Bullock's emergency declaration allows the Democrat to mobilize state resources - including the National Guard if necessary - to help local authorities.

"We're quite concerned about the moisture that's going to drop in the Little Belt Mountains and the Snowy Mountains. That could add more issues along the Musselshell River and in Roundup," said Steve Knecht, chief of operations for Montana Disaster and Emergency Services.

In Yellowstone County, high waters that flooded the basements of many homes were starting to dissipate, said county emergency services director Duane Winslow. Five homes south of Laurel remained evacuated.

In the town of Manhattan, about 19 miles northwest of Bozeman, Mayor Dave Rowell said flooding in the downtown area late last week caused at least a million dollars in damages.