Governor Otter warns of potential flood disasters in state

Idaho Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter says residents facing possible flooding in some areas of the state aren’t taking what he calls a potential disaster seriously.

About a dozen state and federal officials at a news conference Wednesday in Boise described mountain snowpacks of more than double the average in many areas as well as emergency plans and the need for residents to be alert.

Most of the concern is in highly populated southwest Idaho along the Boise River due to a giant snowpack and dwindling space in three reservoirs currently preventing destructive downstream flooding.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says plans are to run the river at high flows over a longer period of time and into the summer to avoid even larger releases that could flood residential areas.