Rain leads to flooding in Moscow area

Local rivers and creeks overtopped their banks in several places around nightfall Thursday as the day’s rain continued and Wednesday night’s heavy snow melted in milder temperatures.

Moscow street crews, fire crews and police were responding to numerous reports across the city of areas of standing water, flooding streets, reports of flooding inside residences, requests for signs to close off flooded streets and for sandbags to contain the flows.

Paradise Creek at the University of Idaho was reported to have reached 9.45 feet by 7:15 p.m., a 2.57 foot increase from 6.88 feet at 7 a.m. By 9:45 p.m., it was maintaining that level. The “minor flood” stage for the creek is 9.2 feet.

In Pullman, the South Fork of the Palouse River was not predicted to exceed flood stage, but the National Weather Service predicted the North Fork would barely exceed flood stage in Potlatch around 4 a.m.

Around 8:30 p.m., all available fire personnel and city workers were requested to respond for additional help responding to calls and filling sandbags at the city shop to be distributed to residents.

Around 9 p.m., water was reported flooding over the road at Joseph Street and Mountain View Road and a log was reported to have been carried by water, striking the Sixth Street bridge.

Some of the major problem areas included White Avenue, North Mountain View Road, Blaine and Cleveland streets, North Polk Extension and Rodeo Drive. Quail Run Drive was also reported to have been closed due to standing water.

There were also reports of two residences experiencing flooding of crawl spaces at the intersections of Bridge and Hillcrest streets. City crews were assisting with pumps to help ease flooding in those residences.

The heavy rain caused one family at Abiel Mobile Home Community on the 600 block of West Palouse River Drive to consider evacuating their trailer home Thursday night as a creek outside the home overflowed and crept up to the base of the residence.

Travis Dyer, who lives at the home with his wife and two children, said a tree near the home fell last night and its branches are partially blocking the creek’s flow, causing water to overflow the banks and encroach onto Dyer’s property.

The home had not been damaged as of 9 p.m. Dyer said Moscow volunteer firefighters, which Moscow Fire Chief Brian Nickerson said arrived at the residence around 7:30 p.m., planned to help Dyer and his family place sand bags Thursday night to prevent the water from damaging the home.

Firefighters helped the family carry their personal belongings, such as bikes, power saws, Christmas decorations and other items, into Dyer’s father’s truck and the family’s van.

Dyer said if they could get the water under control, then he and his family would probably stay.