Homeowners clear damage after Lemhi River floods

LEMHI COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) - In the aftermath of Monday night's flood near Lemhi county, residents are working to clear the damage.

Homes and fields are covered in a sheet of ice, the result of ice jams in the Lemhi river, which sent a mass of water toward homes in baker. Homeowner Suzanne Nebeker describes what she experienced.

"The river head perched over the top of my berm...and it was coming directly straight toward my living room. I could see rushing my white-capped water coming into my driveway and over to the house," Suzanne said.

Idaho Fish and Game and the county worked through the night to break up some of the ice jams.

Now, their neighbors help them dig their way out. And as she surveys the damage to her home and farm, Suzanne asks if it could happen again.

"The thing that I would like folks to walk away with is; Number one we're blessed with the community response when there are disasters in this community. But my concern is; What are the federal agencies and the state and local agencies doing number one, to mitigate the future problems?"

But according to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, predicting where a river floods in subzero temperatures is almost impossible.

"When you have a regular natural spring runoff flood event, you can predict a little more where the water's going to go based on topography," Idaho Fish and Game representative Windy Schoby said. "During an ice storm flooding situation, it's very hard to predict where the flows may go. The ice continues to build upon itself and creates a whole new layer of topography that pushes water in areas you might not predict."

Idaho Fish and Game is still at work breaking up more of the ice, but they advise residents to remain prepared.