Residents prepare for rising water

CATALDO, Idaho – After spotting Jet Skiers cresting waves on the Coeur d’Alene River, emergency management officials are warning people to stay out of the water.

The flood-stage river might tempt thrill seekers. But it’s a thrill that could be dangerous, officials said.

“The water’s just above freezing. It’s all snowmelt,” said Shoshone County Sheriff Chuck Reynalds.

Sheriff’s deputies saw personal watercraft in the water near Cataldo and at Prichard, where uprooted trees and branches were hurtling down the river.

“Even if they have a wet suit, they’re dodging debris,” said Undersheriff Mitch Alexander. “It’s not like on TV, where there’s a helicopter to sling them out,” he added.

Officials and homeowners in the Cataldo area were on standby Friday as the river rose. According to the National Weather Service, it should crest near the flood stage of 72 feet by this afternoon and start to drop Sunday night.

Throughout North Idaho, more than 100 homes are in danger of flooding, as hot weather melts abundant mountain snowpack. The warm weather will continue today and Sunday before a cooling trend slows the melt, the National Weather Service predicts.

“We’ve lived here 30 years, and we’ve never seen a flood this late in the season,” said Joe Peak, owner of the Enaville Resort, whose neighbors have parked vehicles on the high ground of his lot.

On Friday afternoon, Peak didn’t think his restaurant would be affected by the cresting water. The rustic resort remained open, serving lunch to cyclists who pedaled in on the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes. But in case the road to the resort closes, Peak arranged an alternate drop-off point in Pinehurst for the Food Service of America truck’s delivery today.

Pastures and RV parks were underwater on either side of the Coeur d’Alene River Road. Snow lingered in shady areas. U.S. Forest Service campgrounds along the river are closed.

In addition to the Coeur d’Alene River, the National Weather Service has issued a flood warning for the St. Joe River at St. Maries. The river is expected to reach flood level by early today and rise another 4 feet by Monday morning.

In Boundary County, officials are keeping an eye on the Moyie River, which flows out of Canada. It is expected to reach flood stage by Tuesday, and sandbags may be needed at a few houses, said Dave Kramer, Boundary County emergency manager and Bonners Ferry police chief.

The Kootenai River, which flows through Bonners Ferry, is not expected to reach flood stage.

But the Spokane River is expected to hit that mark. Spokane officials were also concerned that people might be tempted to take a dip in the bitter-cold, swollen river, said Lisa Jameson, program specialist with Spokane Emergency Management.

Back in Shoshone County, authorities plan to block access to Old River Road with a load of rocks. People were driving past the barriers Friday afternoon. Part of the road was underwater.

“We’re getting a lot of looky-loos,” Reynalds said. “People are driving over from Kootenai County and Spokane because it is something to see.”

At the Mission Inn in Cataldo, residents swapped news and flood updates over coffee, biscuits and gravy.

“I’m not scared yet,” said Dana Robinson, whose mother, Inge McNutt, owns the restaurant. “It isn’t as bad as it was in ‘96.”

Carla Bassemier, who lives 1 1/2 miles up the CCC Road outside of Cataldo, was among the people stopping by. Floods are nothing new to Bassemier. This will be her third, in three different homes – all on CCC Road.

The first was in 1974, when she was a teen. Her family lost horses, dogs, cats and rabbits to Coeur d’Alene River floodwater.

The second was in 1996, when water rose to 64 inches inside her home.

But the hillside home where she now lives didn’t get wet in 1996, and Bassemier doesn’t expect it will this year.

The driveway is likely to flood, however, so she and her husband and a 10-year-old grandson who lives with them are preparing to be isolated in their home. A diabetic, Bassemier picked up extra medication this morning.

“I’ve got a deep freezer, canned goods, extra bread, and 2 1/2 cases of drinking water in case the electricity goes out and we can’t use our well,” she said. “I have water to flush the toilets with – all of the bare essentials.”