CANYON FERRY — It has been just over a year since the Horse Gulch Fire, and in that time, there have been two significant flooding events in the area.
The power of water that ravaged through Canyon Ferry on Thursday night was apparent through pressed-down grass and torn-down fences.
(Watch to see the destruction caused by the flooding.)
"We did not have lives at stake down there like we did the last time when the flood happened," said Tri-Lakes Fire Chief Marc Weniger.
After a similar flood washed over the area in September of last year, local agencies were prepared for Thursday night's storm.
The Bureau of Reclamation notified campers to evacuate the Riverside Campground on Thursday morning and provided refunds.
"The base for the soil is basically not stable anymore, so when you get rain events like this, everything seems to just go with the water," Weniger says.
Dead trees, vegetation, and other debris littered Jimtown Road and the Riverside Campground.
Weniger says, "As far up as you can see, all the way into the bottom of the ravine, has just traveled with the water."
The Lewis and Clark County Office of Emergency Management works with other agencies, like local fire departments and law enforcement, to ensure safety.
Autumn Ashdale is the deputy emergency manager for Lewis and Clark County. She told MTN, "The storm intensified, and we started being more certain it would hit this area, so we began work with all of our partners to ensure people are aware and public messaging."
Because of the burn scar, the area is expected to be susceptible to flooding for around five years.
Long-term, they are hoping to get a grant to prevent this from happening again in the future.
"Moving forward, they are planning to put in a grant application to help with flood mitigation measures for this particular area," said Ashdale.
But it was not just roads and campgrounds washed out by the storm.
There was a 15-foot debris flow caused by the flash flooding near Canyon Ferry Lake. Two trucks and a shed of firewood were washed away onto the shore of the lake, all owned by the same family.
The family is thankful they are safe, but their trucks have a lot of history tied to them. They were family treasures since the 1990s.
The family estimates the damage will take about six months to fully clean up. With more potential flooding on the way. The homeowners plan to watch the forecast more closely.
Fire Chief Weniger says his message to the community is, "Pay attention to the weather, the change in clouds and water."
