Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Page One News at a Glance

Record setting high water predicted at Victor

Food bank breaks ground

Stevensville Town Council

Bitterroot flower tour scheduled

Record setting high water predicted at Victor Agencies and residents prepare for possibility of flooding By Michael Howell Predicting exactly when and how high the Bitterroot River may crest in the spring is a notoriously tricky affair. It depends on a complex constellation of many variables. But officials at the National Weather Service, based on an analysis of snow pack in the area combined with current and forecast weather conditions, are predicting record setting high flows at the Victor measuring gauge by the end of the month. Looking at a summary hydrograph of water levels in the Bitterroot River near Darby from the years 1938 through 2009, it is evident that the peak runoff period traditionally falls between the last few weeks of May and the first few weeks of June. This year the snow melt-off has been slowed by an unusually cold and wet spring. According to data on the National Weather Service’s web site, on Sunday, May 15, the snow water equivalent (SWE), measured at various sites in the Bitterroot, shows well above average water content remaining in the higher elevations. At the Nez Perce station, SWE was measured at 249 percent above average, at Daly Creek 427 percent above average, at Moose Creek 191 percent above average, at Skalkaho 134 percent above average and at Saddle Mountain 144 percent above average. This means there is a lot of water still to run off the mountains and into the Bitterroot River. The overall river basin is calculated to be 161 percent above average for SWE. Although run off has begun in earnest, forecasters were predicting Sunday that cooler temperatures with rain and snow in the higher elevations this week would slow the process up with actual flow levels predicted to drop. But that is forecast to change over the weekend when river levels will begin to rise once again and possibly reach a record setting high near Victor, perhaps by the end of the month. The river is expected to reach flood stage in the Darby area around the end of the month as well. Flooding along the river is only a part of the scenario, however, as many small streams are also expected to top their banks across Western Montana. The National Weather Service in Missoula issued on Sunday a small stream flood advisory for melting snow in Ravalli County. In particular, Eight Mile Creek was noted to have reached bank full, threatening some culverts and county roads in the area. They cautioned that other area creeks and streams will be running high during at least the next several days and could cause minor flooding in low lying areas. Local storms and thundershowers could aggravate the situation.

This snapshot graph of river activity up to the middle of the month, May 15, 2011 with the forecast and trends projected, show the Bitterroot River setting a historical record for crest height and water flows this year at the Victor gauging station perhaps by May 25. This graph shows the percentage of probability for various flood levels on the Bitterroot River near Darby. The chances are certain that it will pass the 7.5 foot flood stage. How high it may climb is uncertain, but there is a 30 percent chance that it will peak at 9.23 feet. There’s a 55 percent chance that it will hit 8.35 feet at the gauge. That’s the same as tossing a coin. The 99 percent probability, of course, is still above flood stage. Lowlanders beware! This snapshot graph of river activity at the gauging station near Darby with forecast and trends projected shows the river just approaching flood stage by May 25, 2011.

National Weather Service officials also caution recreationists that all area rivers and streams will be running high and fast for quite some time. They urge weekend recreationists to exercise caution if they plan to be on or near the river, and to keep abreast of the latest weather reports.

Ravalli County Disaster and Emergency Services Director Ron Nicholas told a small crowd at Stevensville Town Hall last Saturday that residents who may be facing flooding problems have the unique opportunity to get some help in advance in the form of sand bags donated by the Army Corps of Engineers. Nicholas said that usually ACE only distributes sand bags to areas that have already been declared a disaster. But due to an excess of about 200,000 sand bags at Libby and over 1.5 million extra sand bags in the Seattle area where they had been preparing for a dam break that did not materialize, the agency decided to make sand bags available around the state. Ravalli County got 16 pallets.

The sand bags are available to county residents for free at all Ravalli County fire stations. To obtain the sandbags, residents need to contact their local fire chiefs. Their phone numbers can be obtained by going to www.ravallifirecouncil.org. Nicholas urged residents to obtain the sand bags from the Fire District within which they reside, even though sand bags are being made available all over the valley.

Sand is available at the Ravalli County Fairgrounds, Corvallis Fire Station No. 2 on the Eastside Highway, Victor Fire Station, the water and sewer plant in Stevensville, Florence Fire Station and at Painted Rocks Dam.

Trapper Creek Job Corps has volunteered to fill bags with sand, but will not tote them anywhere or place them anywhere. The Red Cross, according to local coordinator for the Red Cross Dallas Erickson, will not deal with sand bagging or sand bags at all, but will supply food and drinks to volunteers who help do those jobs. They also offer, of course, emergency shelter for those misplaced by disaster. He said anyone needing emergency shelter should call 1-800-ARC MONT and they will be directed to the most immediate shelter available at the time.

Both Nicholas and Erickson explained the details of “sand bagging,” that is the art and science of laying down a wall of sand bags that is not going to get washed away in the flood. For one thing, according to Erickson, you should lay the bags parallel to the flow of water as much as possible and avoid trying to block or cross a current. The rule of thumb is not to stack them higher than the bottom is wide, unless they are being propped up next to a solid structure such as a wall that can stand the force of the water.

It would be wise, he said, to consult local authorities, especially the road department, if a roadway is involved, prior to placing the bags. Erickson said that he spoke from experience on that one, having made that mistake once.

Nicholas said that emergencies had already been declared in Lincoln and Lake Counties and that the Ravalli County Commissioners were going to consider a declaration on Tuesday, May 17. Nicholas said that by declaring an emergency ACE could make more sand bags available that might be placed in time to prevent some flood damage.

The highest crest recorded on the Bitterroot River, according to Nicholas, was 8.55 feet at Darby on May 17, 1997. In descending order the river crested at 8.45 feet in 2003, 8.42 feet in 1974, 8.26 feet in 1996, and 8.08 feet in 1947.

According to information provided by NOAA, in terms of flow in cubic feet per second, the largest flows since records were started in 1938 were 11,000 cfs on two occasions, once in 1947 on May 9, and once the following year in 1948 on May 26. Forecasters predict that by May 26, 2011, the river will crest the highest ever in the Victor area and surpass all historical records at that gauging site.

Nicholas said that every agency in the county, the state and the federal government that deals with emergencies was aware of the flooding threat in Montana. Nicholas said that if a person lives near the river and wonders if they live in a flood hazard area they can contact County Floodplain manager Eric Anderson and get a quick initial determination based on the latest LiDAR mapping which is accurate to within two feet in elevation.

Erickson said that the most valuable aid received in almost every emergency is the immediate aid rendered by family, friends and neighbors. He noted that a power outage over a wide area did not constitute an emergency until after 72 hours. He said people need to be prepared with emergency essentials to last a 72-hour outage at a minimum. Whether aid can be delivered even after 72 hours is also a question. He said that in some instances power has not arrived for weeks.

Both men cautioned people about driving through water that might look shallow. Studies show that under the right (or wrong) road conditions at a certain velocity it only takes one foot of water to sweep an automobile up in its current. It only takes two feet of water to float the average automobile due to its buoyancy. It will float and drift in the flood flow before the water reaches the level of an open window.

Nicholas urged the public to call 9-1-1 if they faced an emergency situation. He said where authorities know of flooding in a certain area of the county it can use what he calls Reverse 9-1-1, a program in which every phone number listed in the phone book can be called up with an emergency warning message. He said such messages may warn about the potential need for an evacuation. In the case of an actual evacuation, he said, it is implemented by the Sheriff’s Office and an officer would be knocking on their door. Nicholas also noted that people who don’t have a land line listed in the telephone book may have their cell phone numbers recorded at the 9-1-1 center and included on emergency “call ups,” such as a flood notice or fire notice in their neighborhood. Anyone interested in registering their cell phone number with the emergency services can do so by calling 363-3033.

Ravalli County will establish a designated flood line at the county's emergency operations center. Ravalli County has an agreement through the Montana Red Cross to establish shelters at a number of local schools if the need should arise. Nicholas said people have rarely used those shelters following evacuations due to flooding. Nicholas' office can be reached at 375-6655.

Mayor Lewis Barnett of Stevensville reminded residents that flooding in town often occurs around Spring Street and along Burnt Fork Road. He said both those areas can flood, especially if debris blocks up the ditches.

The town’s sewer treatment facility may also be in jeopardy since it is located in the river bottom west of town. The town has never participated in the federal flood insurance program which makes funds available for pre-emptive work on mitigating flood hazards. Councilor Desera Towle said that the town council was currently working on joining the federal flood insurance program. It would also make the purchase of homeowner flood insurance more affordable for a few Stevensville residents that actually reside in or next to the floodplain.

Anyone wondering how best to prepare for a flood can check the U.S. Search and Rescue Task Force website for lots of good information at www.ussartf.org/flooding.htm.

Constantly updated charts showing water flow at gauges in Montana’s major rivers, including the Bitterroot River at Darby, Victor, and Missoula, snow pack, etc. can be accessed on the internet at the Northwest River Forecast Center of the National Weather Service, a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Go to www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/rfc/. It is also a good site to check on the weather.

Nicholas noted that someone is affected by flood or drowning almost every year. It doesn’t take a huge snowpack. It depends on timing and temperature a lot. He said the river surprises us every year with sudden changes in channels or the movement of huge masses of debris that can wreak their own path of destruction.

“Peak flood times in the Bitterroot are always dangerous,” said Nicholas.

Food bank breaks ground

By Michael Howell

Close to fifty people turned out on a windy Saturday morning on May 14, 2011 to witness the groundbreaking ceremony for the new building that will house Pantry Partners, the local food bank, the Clothes Closet, a free clothes outlet, and Acts of Kindness, a local charity that sponsors, you guessed it, acts of kindness.

Pantry Partners, the food bank, which distributes free food to people in need in the north valley, was founded in 1989. A few of its founding members were on hand for the groundbreaking including Kay Sylvester, Peg Whitesitt, and Lloyd Eickert. Other longtime supporters present at the ceremony included Jacquie Lyons, Vernon Sylvester, Iris Holland, Loraine McFadgen, and Catalina Gerner.

Kathy Belke, President of the Board for Pantry Partners, served as master of ceremonies introducing founding, former and present board members as well as past and present school board members and county commissioners who played a role in securing funding for the new building and a place to build it. She also thanked Julie Foster of Ravalli County Economic Development Authority who helped orchestrate the funding process.

The effort began a long time ago as the food bank struggled with a growing project cramped into a too small space from the beginning. The board began stashing some funds away for “the move.” But it wasn’t until a visit from Lauren Caldwell, local representative from Senator Max Baucus’ office in Missoula, that efforts to seek some public funding began to crystallize.

Caldwell saw the need, and Senator Baucus helped push, for some government funding. So did the office of Senator Jon Tester. In the end the project received a $450,000 Community Development Block Grant and a $200,000 Housing and Urban Development grant

Caldwell read a letter from Baucus in which he stated, “Even in the best of economic times, too many Americans go hungry and are without proper clothing. This certainly isn’t the best of economic times and communities around this country have seen an increase in the need for basic day-to-day necessities like Pantry Partners and the Clothes Closet have been providing for years.”

Tracy Stone-Manning, a representative for Senator Jon Tester, said that she remembered being told by someone who visited the old location that, “These people are heroes to work where they do, it's so bad that when the refrigerator kicks in, the lights go dim."

Stone-Manning read a letter from Tester in which he stated, “I know you all worked under very difficult conditions for too many years and I am so pleased that today you are breaking ground…This is a wise investment of federal dollars that will pay off in this community for years to come.”

Architect Lee Kierig, who volunteered a lot of time and effort before landing the job to design the new building, expressed his love for the community members that worked so hard to make this new building a reality. Building contractor Rich Patterson of Patterson Construction was also present.

Catalina Gerner told the crowd that she was one of the first to benefit from the food bank about 25 years ago when she found herself and her children in “a less than ideal situation.” She said the people at Pantry Partners helped her in her most needful time.

“I had three children and a very limited ability to speak English and this community stepped up and helped me out,” said Gerner. “I am so grateful and happy to be here.”

Gerner is now an accomplished English speaker and is currently teaching Spanish at the Bitterroot College of the University of Montana.

Stevensville Town Council

Council meeting minutes cause concern

By Michael Howell

At the May 9 Stevensville Town Council meeting, Councilor Desera Towle asked that the minutes of the previous meeting be amended to show that she refused to participate in a closed session that was held for reasons that at the time were unclear. She noted that the minutes did not even reflect that a closed meeting was held.

Town Attorney Keithi Worthington said that the Town adopted a policy about a year ago that the council’s minutes are only required to include motions made and votes taken. Towle insisted that the record also reflect her statement to the effect that she was not participating in the closed session. A member of the public, Clayton Floyd, agreed with Towle, stating that anything that a council member expressly stated be included in the record should be included in the record. Bitterroot Star publisher Michael Howell also stated that closing a meeting to the public was a significant act in itself and should also be noted in the minutes of the meeting.

The minutes were approved as written on a 3 to 1 vote with Towle casting the lone dissenting vote.

The claims were approved with the exception of a charge related to an Attorney General’s opinion that no councilor had any knowledge or recollection concerning.

The second reading of the Town’s amended Water Ordinance was postponed so that the first reading could be repeated with a vote of adoption, following a point of order made by Bitterroot Star publisher Michael Howell noting that no vote was taken to approve the first reading at the previous meeting. A second reading is scheduled for the next regular Council meeting.

The consultant for the Twin Creeks Subdivision, Nathan Lucke, responded to rumors he had heard concerning remarks made at the last council meeting to the effect that subdivider John Anderson was in bankruptcy. Lucke stated for the record that Anderson was not in bankruptcy.

He noted that the approval of the water rights involved in the proposed well field associated with the subdivision by DNRC was “a huge step forward.” Lucke also noted that a change in the subdivision laws now allows towns and counties to grant extensions to subdividers involved in the plat approval process for a mutually agreed upon time frame. No limit was placed on the time frames that might be agreed to.

Lucke told the town that he would probably be asking for an extension of the time frame that expires on Twin Creeks on December 31, 2011. He suggested that the town consider changing the timing of the phases to include an increased span of time for each phase, with the time frame for Phase I being 2011 at the earliest and 2015 at the latest. Completion of Phase II would be by 2013 at the earliest or 2020 at the latest, while completion of Phase III would be by 2014 at the earliest or 2025 at the latest.

In response to a question about the lease that clouds the title to the well field property, Anderson said that he was currently sticking by the validity of an eviction notice that he had given the Wortmans, but he was also working on another solution that looked promising and may have it resolved by the next council meeting.

The proposed extension agreement was placed on the next council agenda.

The Town received a draft of a proposed Interlocal Agreement between the city and rural fire districts and the Town of Stevensville regarding use of town water and other matters. Payment to the town for water use by the fire districts on a quarterly basis rather than bi-annually was an agreed upon change to be made to the draft which still must get final review and acceptance by both the Fire District Boards and the Town.

Fire Chief Jeff Motley said, “This document conveys the attitude of cooperation and gives us a platform from which to work together in the future.”

The Council discussed proposed pay compensation for Clerk/Treasurer Sue Gibson and Utility Clerk Denise Philley for time spent doing the work of the treasurer following the resignation of former treasurer Roni Kimp. The clerks have suggested that compensation to the tune of $2.55 per hour over and above the wages that were paid for the hours logged would be fair. That would mean a payment to Gibson of $674.47 and a payment to Philley of $785.40.

Mayor Barnett questioned where the money would come from since the budget for salaries was already destined to fall short by the end of the fiscal year. He has relayed a question to the town’s auditor as to whether money from the NOW Account, which is considered a Reserve Fund, could be used for the wage compensation. The matter will be taken up again at the next council meeting.

The council discussed how town employees would be compensated for work done at special events. Mayor Barnett explained that the Town’s policy was that employees could not be paid, so the practice has been to allow time off during the week to make up for time spent on special events over the weekend.

The council agreed to release the $12,435 owed to Kleen-Rite for emergency work in town hall related to a water leak and subsequent mold problem. The clerk had withheld payment due to a $435 charge for materials unrelated to the emergency.

Kleen-Rite owner Mark Gauthier explained that the cracked toilet needed to be replaced as did some plumbing lines, faucets and toilet paper holders. The Council agreed to pay the bill.

Councilor Pat Groninger once again tabled a discussion of “items of concern” with regard to the Mayor’s performance of his duties.

The Council also tabled a discussion concerning a TSEP grant related management plan.

The council also tabled discussion of a proposed amendment to the Town’s Sewer Ordinance because the Town’s attorney had not yet prepared a draft document for review.

Bitterroot flower tour scheduled

By Michael Howell

Stevensville resident John Stroud, aka “Johnny Bitterroot Seed,” is a homegrown, self educated expert on the Bitterroot Flower (Latin name: Lewisia rediviva), the valley’s namesake blossom, and he wants to see it survive and prosper for the benefit of future generations. He wants to spread the seeds. He’s even made a business of it. He just picked about 100 seeds and will be selling them on the sidewalk outside of Valley Drug in Stevensville this week, whenever he feels like going down there, he said. He has planted Bitterroots on the grounds of the St. Mary’s Mission and elsewhere around the valley.

As much as he is involved in spreading the seeds, he’s also interested in spreading the word about the Bitterroot Flower. That is, he is interested in propagating some more propagators. So he has planned a series of free tours during the blossoming time, the first three Saturdays in June.

“I’m mainly interested in teaching people how to plant the seeds,” said Stroud. “If you plant them now, the ants will get them.” He said the best time to plant them is in November. He said they grow well on sandy, clay soil and do especially well in companionship with sagebrush.

Stroud believes that the flower is threatened with extinction in the valley. He said the main threat is from development.

“Developers are often looking at the same sort of dry land to build on,” says Stroud. “They take in the bull dozers and scrape the land clean.” He said if developers don’t pay attention the flower could be eliminated from the landscape in 100 years.

Stroud recently returned from a trip to Helena where he gave a talk on the Bitterroot Flower at the State Historical Museum. He also made a donation to the museum. All the money he makes selling seeds is donated to museums, he said.

Anyone interested in a Saturday tour can meet Stroud around noon at Valley Drug on the 4th, 11th and 18th of June. Information on the Bitterroot Flower will be provided including information on how to pick the seeds and how to plant them, as well as how to prepare the root for eating. Transportation will be provided for a tour to view Bitterroot Flowers near his home on Illinois Bench and at Dorothy Staggs’ place, also on the bench. Stroud asks that anyone interested RSVP by calling him at 777-5054 so he can have enough transportation available.

Stroud is the author of “Twice a Mail Order Bride,” a book about his mother and the homesteading days in the Bitterroot Valley. Proceeds from the sale of that book are being placed in a special account to fund his next book, “Through the Love of the Bitterroot,” a book about the Bitterroot Flower and life in the Bitterroot Valley.