Flash flood causes road damage

TEN SLEEP - Run off and thunderstorms created flooding in the Ten Sleep area over the weekend.

Thunderstorms south of Ten Sleep created flash flooding and perhaps historic levels of Alkali Creek that buckled about 200 feet of Wyoming Highway 434 (Big Trails) four miles south of Ten Sleep on Saturday night.

Noah Myers, meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Riverton said a river gauge about three miles south of Ten Sleep recorded .84 inches in less than two hours Saturday night from 6:30 to about 8 p.m.

WYDOT Public Affairs Spokesperson Cody Beers said that there was enough water going over the top of the road and the soils don't handle water, they erode quickly. "The water got underneath the road and broke up the road," he said.

Wyoming Department of Transportation Area Maintenance Supervisor Clint Huckfeldt said he received a call about 8:30 p.m. Saturday night, May 30, regarding the road damage. He said crews responded quickly and at 6 a.m. Sunday, a loader was on scene to provide one-lane traffic.

Huckfeldt said there were brandings scheduled on ranches down the road and ranchers needing to check on their cattle. WYDOT had repaired the road to a two-lane dirt road by 1:30 p.m.

WYDOT is working on ways to get the area paved this summer. Huckfeldt said they are exploring options to see if the contractor currently working on U.S. 16 between Worland and Ten Sleep can pave the damaged area on Highway 434.

Huckfeldt said he had several local residents tell him that they have never seen Alkali Creek running as high as it was Saturday night.

Washakie County Emergency Management/Homeland Security Director Kami Neighbors said the creeks above Alkali Creek, including Otter Creek did not see the additional water over the weekend.

TEN SLEEP CREEK

Ten Sleep Creek reached above the flood stage level of 4.5 feet between Sunday and Monday in part due to run off as well as the thunderstorms. The creek reached a peak of 4.88 feet at about midnight Monday morning. Levels continued to drop down to the action stage at 3.5 feet at about 3 p.m. Monday.

Neighbors said they would be monitoring the creek Monday night with the state hydrologist expecting more runoff from 9,500 feet and above in the mountains to increase the creek levels Monday night into Tuesday morning.

She said she has been advised after Monday night the levels should continue to decline.

Ten Sleep Creek has been in the active stage since May 30.

Neighbors said they had sandbags filled prior to the flooding available at the fire hall for residents. Late Saturday night and early Sunday morning, from 11 p.m. to about 3:30 a.m., Ten Sleep Fire and Washakie County Search and Rescue were called out to fill more bags that are available at the fire hall.

She said there is also sand and empty bags for those wanting to fill their own.

Neighbors said on Monday that there has been no report of damage to homes from Ten Sleep Creek flooding with many residents getting sandbags to keep the water at bay.

At 11:33 p.m. on Sunday, WYDOT posted an area flooding caution with "travel lane blocked near Ten Sleep at milepost 30. Be prepared to stop, expect delays." The blockage was cleared about 45 minutes later.

Huckfeldt said there has been some debris and water splashing over the guardrail just east of Ten Sleep and some water in the right of way.

The Nowood River near Manderson was at 5.8 feet Monday, well below action stage at 7.5 feet.

Keith Bower of Washakie County Road and Bridge said there was only minor damage to the Rome Hill Road from runoff and the thunderstorms over the weekend.