HELENA — Lewis and Clark Co. is reminding residents to stay safe and avoid spring floodwaters.
The StormTracker Weather team is predicting a stormy week that could produce potentially severe storms with heavy rains that could create flood concerns, particularly along the Rocky Mountain Front region.
Residents in flood-prone areas should:
- Avoid contact with floodwater where possible. All floodwater can contain pathogens and be contaminated with sewage and wastewater, pet and livestock waste, and other pollutants.
- Do not drink, cook, or wash with water from a private well that has been flooded as it can cause illness. Where floodwaters affect wells, use hand sanitizer for handwashing and bleach for cleaning and disinfecting surfaces.
- Wear cloth face coverings, keep six feet apart, and wash hands frequently when sandbagging or helping friends and neighbors. This helps prevent the spread of COVID-19.
- Obey all road closure signs and barricades and take alternative routes. Do not drive through standing water on roads or in parking lots. The average vehicle can be swept off the road in 12 inches of moving water and roads covered by water are prone to collapse.
Report flooding to local authorities immediately and contact the County Floodplain Manager at (406) 447-8375 regarding emergency floodplain permitting.
Additional information on flooding and flood preparedness:
Lewis and Clark County website: https://www.lccountymt.gov/des/flood-information.html [lccountymt.gov]
Lewis and Clark County Emergency Services Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LewisandClarkCountyEmergency [facebook.com]
Lewis and Clark County Government Facebook: www.facebook.com/LCCoGovernment [facebook.com]
