Choteau mayor Chris Hindoien told KRTV on Friday that they are going to extend the Flood Warning for their community.
He says the water is spreading to the east from the creek and is threatening to penetrate the Jagged Edge Salon building.
3rd Avenue NE is closed from 1st NE west to the city limits. All side streets are closed into 3rd Avenue as well.
Hindoien shared the following message on the town Facebook page on Friday morning:
- The culverts on Spring Creek are near the top with ice. Water is flowing but mostly under the ice. Beware and stay off the ice. There is flowing water and open water down by the Rodeo Grounds and the creek is still in the channel down there.
- The water is rapidly approaching The Jagged Edge and the building owners are aware. We are putting sand and sand bags there to help the building owner. Concern is that the water on the east side of the building cannot cross over 1st St NE so it will have to go East into the residential areas before finding a natural low spot to work back to Spring Creek.
- The National Weather Service will continue our flood watch until further notice. They are telling us that we can expect freezing temps until mid Sunday and then gradual warming. Please understand that things may get worse before they get better.
- The FFA Students from Choteau High School are filling sandbags and we have some available to go already. You can call the City at 466-2510 if you would like some.
(THURSDAY, JANUARY 16) After rising water levels threatened to flood some home in Choteau on Wednesday, Mayor Chris Hindoien said there hasn’t been any more widespread flooding.
Hindoien said, “Once we got the water flowing fast enough, it pretty much took care of itself.”
Hindoien added that some sunshine would help keep the creek flowing smoothly and ensure that the city stays flood-free.
“Some sunshine would be a godsend,” Hindoien said.
However, a change in the weather could cause the ice to jam and the the waters to rise once again.
Because of that, the flood warning will stay in effect until Friday at 2:15 pm - - at which point city officials can either extend the flood warning or roll back to a flooding advisory instead.
