Meeting set to discuss Porcupine landslide
UPDATE: 3-14 A public meeting has been set for 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Alpine Civic Center, 121 U.S. 89 in Alpine to discuss the Porcupine landslide.
Officials from the Bridger-Teton National Forest will be on hand to answer questions about the slide.
The slide has constricted portions of the Wild and Scenic Greys River. Earthen debris has reached the river and some pooling has backed up water in the flood plain.
A closure order (see below) is in place for the 17-mile corridor from Alpine to the slide area.
ORIGINAL STORY:
The Bridger-Teton National Forest has closed the Greys River Road (FS Road 10138) from the parking lot in Alpine, Wyoming through the Porcupine Road to all activity until further notice as a result of the Porcupine Landslide which began in February 2018.
Greys River District Ranger Justin Laycock said the flooding risk to homes or property in Alpine, Wyoming is considered ‘low’ and limited to two structures; however, the risks in the corridor itself are much different.
“If the dam was to back up water to the point it breeched the natural dam or the natural dam gave way, the low lying areas of the Greys River corridor could experience up to a 10-foot wall of water,” he said.
Laycock said according to a model scenario, it would take longer to notify and clear the affected area than the allotted four hours, so the area must be closed.
The landslide is a quarter of a mile wide and is still slumping towards the Greys River.
With the closure order, two of the Forest’s Guard Stations which are usually available to rent, the McCain and Deer Creek Guard Stations, will be unavailable for reservations until further notice.
Although the Alpine access and the Greys River Corridor is closed through Porcupine Road, you still may access the Forest beyond the closure by three other routes:
Smith’s Fork, Forest Service Road 10072, road located South of Afton Through forest service access from Big Piney, WY (proceed to Ryegrass Junction to Forest Service Road 10125, also known as N. Cottonwood, then over McDougal Gap to Greys River Road) The La Barge Road accessed from the town of La Barge, Wyoming
