Highway in Pend Oreille County closed due to water runoff

State officials closed a highway in Pend Oreille County because of water runoff that submerged the roadway Monday morning.

Spring rain and snowmelt covered Highway 20 about 25 miles north of Newport, according to the Washington State Patrol.

Officials from the Department of Transportation were on scene, and detours were established north and south of the blockage.

Transportation spokesman Al Gilson said there are culverts under that section of road, but they aren’t large enough for the amount of water flowing through the creek.

Gilson said Monday afternoon it wasn’t clear if the water had done any damage to the pavement, or when the highway would reopen.

“We really can’t know until the water recedes,” he said. “The weather is in control of this particular event.”