Farmers in N. Idaho dealing with flooding

BONNERS FERRY, Idaho — A wet and rainy June is being blamed for millions of dollars of damaged crops by farmers in North Idaho’s Kootenai River Valley. But some growers are also frustrated with decisions made by federal officials managing flows of the Kootenai River from the Libby Dam in Montana. Farmer Bob Olson says dam managers with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have placed other priorities ahead of managing flows aimed at avoiding flooding of cropland downstream of the dam. Olson told the Coeur d’Alene Press that recent flooding and seepage cost him about 50 acres in lost or damaged crops. Other farmers are reporting damage to crops from high water. Army Corps Water Manager Kevin Shaffer says record June rainfall is the real culprit rather than changes in flow policies.