Floodwaters Continue To Threaten Still Plenty Of Snow Remains In North Idaho’s Mountains

The region’s two most prominent waterways finally dipped below flood stage Thursday, but Kootenai County isn’t out of danger, disaster officials said Thursday.

There’s still plenty of snow above 5,000 feet in North Idaho’s mountains.

“If it slowly, gradually melts, we’ll be sitting OK,” said Sandy Von Behren, operations supervisor at the county’s disaster services office. “But if we hit 80 degrees and stay there awhile, we could be looking at a repeat performance.”

Meanwhile, floodwaters still lap at some homes and businesses, and a handful of county roads remain underwater, she said. At least two families remain in hotels because they’re tired of canoeing to their home.

As residents prepare for one of the summer’s busiest weekends, some home and business owners are still unable to begin the task of cleaning up from this year’s flooding.

And authorities are urging boaters to motor slowly on Lake Coeur d’Alene and stay off the Spokane River.

“I’ve gone through that river and there’s just no way you can be on the water and not be doing some damage,” said Kootenai County sheriff’s Sgt. Dan Soumas.

Lake Coeur d’Alene finally dropped below flood stage of 2,135 feet late Thursday, and is expected to continue falling up to 4 inches a day through the week.

But with water levels still high near Harbor Island and along the lake’s bays, boat traffic can send threatening waves onto lakeshore property. Boaters cruising at 25 mph within 1,000 feet of shore can create enough of a wake to break dock pilings, he said.

“On my tour, I saw homes in Rockford Bay where water is up to the doors and windows,” Soumas said. “I don’t know if windows are made to withstand wave bashing.”

Boating will be complicated this weekend anyway, sheriff’s Capt. Ben Wolfinger said, because many ramps are inaccessible and debris can harm water craft.

The Sunup Bay Resort remains 30 percent under water and the Gateway Marina in Harrison was still closed to water traffic Thursday.

“We hope people will be sensible,” Wolfinger said. “We know this is a high boating weekend, but boating really won’t be safe. We want people to use their heads.”

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MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Penalties This weekend, boaters on the river may be given a citation, a misdemeanor punishable by a $300 fine and up to six months in jail. Patrols also will monitor traffic on the lake.