(UPDATE, 9:00 p.m.) – The Blackfeet Tribe has declared a “flooding disaster” on the Blackfeet Reservation as of Saturday evening, according to a Facebook post from the Blackfeet Nation and Tribal Business Council. 

Tribal officials have now established an Incident Command Post (ICP) on the reservation, which is defined by the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) as the “location of the tactical-level, on-scene incident command organization.” According to FEMA’s website, it may include designated personnel from tribal governments, and is located at the “immediate vicinity of the incident site.”

The contact number for the ICP is (406) 338-2938, and the Flood Warning for the Blackfeet Indian Reservation is still in effect.

MTN News and STORMTracker Weather will continue to provide updated, accurate coverage of flooding conditions as they develop.

(UPDATE, 1:20 p.m.) – Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services released another statement on social media Sunday afternoon, detailing reports of flooding conditions and vehicular accidents.

Water, according to the agency’s Facebook page, has accumulated “in the Roadway on Route 1 (near Boggs’)” and “near Firebrand on US 2 West.” Near Firebrand, “multiple accidents [have been] reported.” The agency once again urged area residents and travelers to exercise caution and heed the advice of emergency personnel.

In a statement to MTN News, the National Weather Service (Great Falls Office) elaborated on flooding conditions in the region. “The flooding is most likely for areas west of Interstate 15,” the statement said.

“The [Department of Transportation] is reporting water on [and] around Augusta and East Glacier Park this afternoon,” NWS continued. “We had one road wash out in western Teton County. No reports of flooding yet in the city of Browning.”

By Sunday afternoon, NWS had issued Flood Warnings for most areas west of Interstate 15. NWS cautioned the current conditions warrant taking preventative measures to ensure the safety of all Montanans.

“The main thing to do when flooding develops is move to higher ground and do not drive through any flooded roads,” the statement said.

This is a developing story. MTN News and STORMTracker Weather will continue to provide updated, accurate coverage of flooding conditions as they develop.

Flood Warning in effect for Blackfeet Indian Reservation

(First report) 

BROWNING – The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a salvo of Flood Warnings taking effect Sunday morning, and one of them, according to a social media post from Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, includes the Blackfeet Indian Reservation.

“Flooding is expected to start today on Badger Creek and Two Medicine River,” the post said. “Please use caution and be aware of changing water conditions near you.”

Areport from NWS Great Falls released Sunday just after 9:30 a.m. detailed that numerous small rivers in areas west of Interstate 15 are falling victim to widespread heavy rain. As a result, models estimate they will rise above flood stage. Badger Creek and Two Medicine River are both listed as at-risk waterways in that report.

Browning, East Glacier Park, Heart Butte, and Saint Mary were articulated in the report as areas currently prone to flooding. A Flood Warning has been issued for Central Glacier County.

Other regions around Montana under Flood Warnings at this time are Northwestern Lewis and Clark County, Pondera County, and Teton County. Minor flooding is being experienced in rivers across the state, including the Dearborn River and its tributaries.

These alerts will remain in effect until further notice.

NWS classifies a Flood Warning to mean that “flooding is imminent or has been reported along a river” within a designated area.

According to the NWS website, “River flooding can result from heavy rain during the summer and from rapid snow melt or thunderstorm rain combining with runoff from melting snow.”

NWS advises against navigating or operating a vehicle in a region under a Flood Warning. Most flood deaths, NWS regularly notes, occur in vehicles. Always report prospective flooding or flood-associated emergencies to local law enforcement immediately.

MTN News and STORMTracker Weather will keep you updated on-air and online if and when these notices are lifted.