Guard Pulling Out Of Flooded Areas Of Eastern Idaho

Some of the more than 300 Idaho National Guard troops have started pulling out of flood-stricken eastern Idaho as the threat of new flooding diminished.

Guard spokesmen said the troops will turn over continuing flood relief efforts to local authorities.

Lt. Col. Jim Ball said, “Right now, the situation has stabilized to the point where local authorities feel they can control it.” Some members of the Guard have been on duty for the last nine days.

But the fight against the waters continues. Jefferson County sheriff’s Capt. LaVar Summers said the water level will remain very high for several days, although it is not expected to increase much unless more water is released into the river or there is a storm.

The Bureau of Reclamation released 40,000 cubic feet per second from Palisades Reservoir Friday and flows stayed about the same on Saturday.

Reclamation officials say they don’t expect to raise flows, unless rainstorms predicted for this weekend cause more snowmelt to run out of surrounding mountains.