Environment
Flooding Is Annual Event
April 7, 2006 
With the recent concerns of flooding, combined with the insane growth in the Treasure Valley, the GUARDIAN thought it might be nice to put things in perspective.
A reader offered up a Bureau of Homeland Security link that is far too combersome to share, but the information shows us the floods are a regular event of nature. Threats to some areas have been reduced with flood control measures–especially at Lucky Peak Dam and at Cottonwood Creed near St. Luke’s Hospital.
We note the 100 year flood is probably overdue when in 1862 floodwaters were seen from the foothills to the bench with a flow estimated in excess of 100,000 cfs.
There was a big one in 1936 and 1943 as well:
Flood – April 25, 1936
“Event Summary: Boise River flood. Rain and melting snow combined to cause the Boise River to flood with a peak discharge est. at 19,700 cfs, the sixth largest recorded flood. 2 deaths were reported caused by the flood. Hundreds of acres of agricultural land in the valley was flooded along the river, through Eagle, Star, Linder and Parma. Spring runoff also led to flooding along the Payette River and Soldier Creek. After the flood, the legislature appropriated $10,000 to improve the river channel, modify the bridges, and clean out timber and debris from the river and its banks.
County Summary: Boise River flood from rain and melting snow. The river had a peak est. discharge of 17,700 cfs, its sixth largest recorded flood. 1,100 WPA workers manned the dikes through Boise. 2 deaths were reported: 1 man drowned at the Broadway Bridge, 1 WPA worker was struck by lightning (two coworker received burns, but survived). The Strawberry Glen bridge was washed out, and the highway east of Linder bridge was destroyed by floodwaters. Roads along the river in Boise were washed out, and the Davis Meat Packing Plant was inundated by water, damaging the goods stored there.”
HERE IS A LINK TO HISTORICAL SUMMARY OF FLOODS IN THE BOISE AREA, courtesy of Homeland Security of Idaho.
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Apr 7, 2006, 10:25 pm
GUARDIAN, I’m sure it didn’t escape you that the last event was in 1998. Think of the extensive low-lying development that has occurred since then! (Criminy – Eagle Road may still have been a 2-laner in 1998!) Think of the dirt that’s been moved around, altering streamflows and such – and by people besides Butch Otter. My advice for the fine folks occupying all those new houses… make sure your flood insurance is paid-up.
Apr 8, 2006, 10:53 pm
From a Californian–
I can’t exactly shame some of the people for being a bit tickled by wanting to watch certain individual’s homes float by, but I certainly would not wish that on anyone. You would think it would be obvious to most anyone that if you buy a home on the edge of a hillside or just minutes from a river, lake, ocean, whatever…. then one would have to expect that there may be a chance of it getting washed away in the event of a great rain season.
Just like the people out here living right on the beach and then they want to cry when their houses get flooded. Sad yes, but come on…you put yourself at risk by doing that. I of course would not wish harm to anyone or any unnecessary grief, but people really need to think before they act. Part of society’s problem is they have the mentallity “it won’t happen to me”.
Apr 10, 2006, 8:25 pm
All of the stories about floods in the Boise River are so funny to me, because growing up in Boise the largest flood we had was in… ( 1950’s) … Nope not the Boise River…it was when the New York canal broke. Flooded most of South East Boise up to Broadway…. but of course with all of the improvement on the New York canal that could never happen again… right?
ED NOTE– It was on Aug. 1, 1955
Apr 11, 2006, 12:03 am
Hey, Porcupine, if we had elected Brandi it wouldn’t have happened.
Apr 19, 2006, 7:41 pm
I would advise all the good people of Idaho who are looking at possible real flooding of their Homes to get flood insurance and fast- I have a 2 story duplex about a 1/4 mile from the boise river and a local company quoted me $ 112.00 for a year’s flood insurance coverage per $10,000 value. So you can protect yourself- remember your local govts. will try to deny it’s going to happen until your bathing in it! There is also a waiting period.