County Flood Plan Nears Completion Shoshone County Residents Get One Last Chance To Comment On The Draft Plan

People who live in Shoshone County flood plains will be paying in the future for inspections of new buildings. But they may also be getting cheaper flood insurance - both because of a new county flood mitigation plan.

The plan is in draft form. The county Flood Mitigation Committee will send the document to county commissioners for approval following an Aug. 28 meeting.

“This is the same process that Kootenai County went through two years ago,” said county planning administrator Kenny Hicks, who noted that having such a plan in place has reduced the cost of federal flood insurance in other counties.

Shoshone County’s most recent bad floods occurred in 1996 and 1997. Flooding along the Coeur d’Alene River resulted in major property damage in the Kingston and Cataldo areas and isolated residents along the North Fork and up Latour Creek. Underground pipes burst in Wardner and Kellogg, leading to a complete replacement of the system that carries Milo Creek underground.

One major point of discussion has been removal of rocks that have accumulated in the North Fork, a problem blamed on intensive logging upstream. Many county residents advocate scooping out the rocks, thus deepening the river and reducing the amount of water that spills over the riverbanks.

That’s the first and only action listed under “prevention” in the flood plan. Hicks is among those who likes the idea, although he acknowledges it has environmental impacts. He advocates having a private contractor do the work in exchange for keeping the rock.

“The county’s not in a position to fund bed-load removal, and I’m sure the federal government is not going to,” Hicks said, noting that the fix wouldn’t be permanent.

“The following year, Mother Nature could fill the whole thing back in.”

The many other actions called for in the plan include:

Establishing a fee to administer and review the evaluation of flood plain development permits and the field inspection of construction in progress. Among other things, inspectors would ensure that living quarters and utilities were high enough to be out of harm’s way.

Requiring seasonal securing or removal of possible items that could float downstream in a flood, such as propane tanks, picnic tables, outhouses and hazardous materials.

Adding new river gauges to increase the effectiveness of early flood warnings.

Requesting that the Federal Emergency Management Agency re-evaluate current flood zones and prepare new flood insurance maps.

Offering a voluntary program for acquisition, relocation or flood-proofing for flood-plain homes or businesses whose owners wish to move.

Inviting Benewah County leaders to develop and annually review a protocol with Shoshone County that addresses flooding issues on the St. Joe River.

Developing neighbor-to-neighbor, community-based emergency plans to deal with local flood warnings and emergency supply needs.

Working with the Corps of Engineers to review the condition of dikes, develop programs to repair damaged dikes, maintain existing ones and to suggest the creation of dike districts.

This sidebar appeared with the story: PUBLIC COMMENT One more hearing

There will be a final chance for public comment on the draft plan at 7 p.m. Aug 28, when the county’s Flood Mitigation Committee meets at Sunnyside Elementary School in Kellogg.

Copies of the document are available at the Public Works office in the County Courthouse at Wallace, and at libraries at Pinehurst/Kingston, Clarkia, Kellogg, Mullan, Osburn and Avery. It is also available at the Calder Post Office, the Spragpole in Murray, People’s Action Coalition office in Kellogg and the Murray/Prichard fire stations. Comment sheets are available at those locations.