Rain produces flooding, record moisture
Share
Tweet
Karla Pomeroy
Worland firefighter Erich Berryman drains one of the hoses used to help alleviate the flooding on Third Street and Holly Avenue. The flooding occurred Monday night due to record rainfall in Worland. Holly Avenue between Railway and Third was closed during the evening.
WORLAND - Emergency crews were busy Monday night with some flooding issues in Worland.
According to the National Weather Service, Worland received nearly two inches of rain within a 24-hour period, 1.93 inches, from Oct. 3 through Oct 4 at about 6 a.m. For just Monday, the National Weather Service reported record moisture for Worland with 1.79 inches, breaking the 2013 record of .84 inches.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has reported that approximately 2.25 inches of rain has fallen in the Worland area since Sunday. Much lesser amounts are reported in the Ten Sleep area. NWS is also reporting 4 inches of snow on Powder River Pass Monday night.
Normal value for Oct. 3 is .03.
Flooding
According to Washakie County Emergency Management and Homeland Security Director Mike Orona, at approximately 9:30 p.m. on Monday, flooding was reported in the area of Sage Creek and Cardinal Avenue. Several yards and at least one garage and crawl space were flooded. Local responders worked with an area farmer to open the flow of the creek to stay within its banks, rather than flowing through the neighborhood.
At approximately 11 p.m. a report of flooding in the area of Third and Holly Avenue was received by Washakie County Dispatch. City crews, law enforcement and fire department personnel found that the storm drain system had exceeded its capacity and worked until just before 4 a.m. to get the water pumped out of the area.
Traffic on Railway Avenue was diverted onto Washakie Avenue from the South and Thomas Avenue to the north during the pumping operation. The crews used a pump with about 400 feet of hose to pump the water from Third Street, down Holly Avenue and across Railway into the ditch that runs to the storm drain at Culbertson.
Holly Avenue remained closed between Railway Ave. and Third until just before 9 a.m. on Tuesday when equipment was retrieved.
Around the county, Washakie County Road and Bridge Director Randy Chenoweth reported that Cottonwood Road is closed near the Washakie/Hot Springs County Line and Winchester road was closed at the west side of the Marathon Tank Farm. It reopened by 11 a.m. Tuesday but there was still some water running across the road near the tank farm. Drivers were asked to use caution when traveling on this road.
Lane 17 in the South Flat area is closed due to flooding. There is an estimated 7 ft. water flow over the slab. Barricades are in place. Reopening time is unknown.
Lane 4 is closed to public access and is open to residents only. There is water on the road.
Cottonwood road is still closed near the county line. Access for Washakie County residents is not affected.
Orona said, "Motorists should always use due caution when driving through standing or flowing water. The best advice: turn around-don't drown."
In other areas around the Big Horn Basin, Greybull also had record moisture with .78 inches. The old record was a trace set in 2006, according to the NWS. Riverton set a record of .76 inches, breaking the 1998 record of .6 inches.
