Be Careful Out There, Boaters Told Plenty Of Debris In Swollen Waterways

Kootenai County sheriff’s officials are warning boaters to be wary if they take a spin on North Idaho’s swollen waterways.

“There is a lot of debris that is coming down the rivers,” said Kevin Mumford, a deputy with the sheriff’s marine division. “There are lots of logs and there’s lots of crud out there in the water.”

Although the sky continued to spit rain Thursday, North Idaho lakes and rivers managed to keep the water inside their banks.

A flood warning continued for the St. Joe River as it raised a couple of inches Thursday. It is expected to rise slowly until at least the first of next week, said George Currier, Benewah County’s civil defense director. However, “we don’t anticipate a crisis,” Currier said.

The National Weather Service removed the flood watch status from the Coeur d’Alene River on Thursday. “We still have some of the minor streams running pretty full but we are not experiencing any reported flooding at this time,” said Bill Scott, Shoshone County disaster coordinator.

However, Scott said he is concerned about backup water from Lake Coeur d’Alene, which has risen 4-1/2 feet in the last 10 days. It rose slightly on Thursday, said Sandy Von Behren, of Kootenai County Disaster Services.

Although the lake has surpassed summer levels, it is not expected to reach flood stage, she said.

The weather is expected to reach the 60s through Saturday, according to the weather service.

That means people will be antsy to drop their boats on the water. Deputy Mumford warned boaters to stay off the Spokane River because it is running so fast.

He also asked boaters to drive slowly, not only because of the debris in the water, but also because their wakes could do damage to sandbagging on shore.

A chance of showers is expected by Sunday, according to the weather served.

“We’re still playing the waiting game as far as the weather goes,” Von Behren said. “The rain will hurt us more than the temperatures.”

, DataTimes