Flooding updates: April 16...

KMVT {Current Story: video may be posted later}
Flood Warning in Effect: Gooding & Lincoln Counties
The Red Cross is mobilizing to respond to what has officially been declared a flood emergency. The American Red Cross Emergency Manager says there is a strong possibility that with in the next three days an emergency shelter will be needed in Shoshone. The Red Cross is also on stand by to set up a shelter in Gooding.

Lincoln County Disaster Service Manager Mike Bright says 5,000 cubic feet of water is coming over the Magic Dam each second. He says the disaster service is in contact with citizens in Gooding and Lincoln counties who live in low lying areas.

KMVT {Current Story: video may be posted later...}
Residents in Gooding County Prepare for Flooding.
Those residents are in for some flooding as the water gushes from Magic Reservoir.As you can imagine the anxiety levels are also running high for these residents.As some of them feel like they live on islands today.

This is what the Geise's backyard in Gooding looked like just yesterday... What a difference a day makes.

Thanks to seasonal run–off from Magic Valley Reservoir...the Big Wood River is bursting its banks...and causing chaos throughout the magic valley.

This was the scene just north of Shoshone at the Keating ranch...The big wood overflowed its banks while we were there...making another river right next to it.And thanks to the run–off...scenes like this one are all too common throughout the magic valley...and it's got some folks pretty nervous.

But Capps says folks that live in Gooding don't need to worry about flooding just yet. But the Geise's live just out of town...and have a whole lot of water on their hands. Geise says all things considered it could be a lot worse. "It's a lot of water it's a whole lot of water and a nuisance but i think we'll get through it unscathed."

KTVB (includes slideshow with some good pictures of Magic):
Gooding residents spend Easter Sunday watching floodwaters rise
GOODING - Floodwater threatened some Magic Valley residents and forced homeowners to spend Easter Sunday monitoring water levels and hoping against flooding.

The rising floodwater became a threat when the Magic Reservoir filled to the brim, and water spilled over into the Big Wood River. The National Weather Service issued a flood warning Saturday for that southeastern Idaho River, after operators of Magic Reservoir said outflow below the dam will surpass 6,000 cubic feet per second. Gooding County Sheriff Shaun Gough said nearly 20 county homes are threatened by the rising water, but have not flooded. The army corps of engineers, bureau of homeland security and Gooding disaster services is on standby.

Experts say the river that runs through town is high, but does not pose a threat to homes and businesses. The community is more concerned with the Big Wood River. If consistent rain and snow continues followed by warm temperatures in the mountains, even more flooding can be expected.

"We are just going to watch the water flow through Camas Creek and the Big Wood and see what the weather does up above, that is controlling us," said Sheriff Gough on Sunday. The water is expected to peak sometime on Monday, but experts said it could be a month before floodwaters are no longer a threat.

KMVT {includes video}
IDT Prepares for Flooding from Magic Dam
Thanks to all the storms southern Idaho saw this winter, employees of the Idaho Transportation Department got plenty of practice in responding to emergencies... so their dump trucks and backhoes are ready to go wherever they're needed to control water coming from Magic Dam.

Devin Rigby is a District Engineer with ITD. He says, “Our main interest is the state highway system and the bridges that go over the Wood River and the Little Wood River, and making sure that our system remains functional."

Rigby says the ITD has its equipment strategically located in Carey, Shoshone, and Bliss so employees can get to any problem areas as quickly as possible.Friday, hundreds of cubic feet per second of water poured over the spillways just west of the top of Magic Dam.

KMVT Weather Director Michael Rogers says, "We're just basically starting the beginning of this water coming down toward our area. So you look at the Camas Prairie runoff from there. In another couple of weeks we're going to start mountain runoff, and then things are going to get pretty bad."

Rogers also says all that water has to go somewhere, and it's definitely headed our way. He says because of water flowing from all the little streams that feed the rivers in northern Magic Valley, we're going to see runoff on a big scale for the first time in a long time.

Times-News: Kempthorne declares flood emergency


KMVT {UPDATE from previous post: video included for previous story}
Magic Reservoir Closer to Flowing Over
...However, as of 6:00 p.m. Wednesday the water level of the reservoir had risen to within only one foot of the spillway...

KMVT {UPDATE from previous post: video included for previous story}
Gooding Citizens of All Ages Prepare for Worst
...More than 100 Gooding students filled 4,500 sandbags...

Idaho Statesman:
Southern Idaho counties brace for more potential flooding
Heavy spring runoff and frequent spring rains continue to both bless and plague communities across Idaho.

On Saturday, the National Weather Service issued flood warnings for Gooding, Blaine and Lincoln counties, as well as less urgent flood watches for Bear Lake, Bonneville, Caribou, Cassia, Franklin, Fremont, Oneida and Teton counties.The governor issued a flood declaration Friday and it was a dramatic change from recent years, when several southern Idaho counties received drought emergency declarations each fall.

The declaration allows state officials to administer disaster emergency account funds up to $50,000 to provide assistance to local agencies. [snip]In Gooding County, the Big Wood River was expected to fill to the bank sometime Saturday, with minor flooding happening by this morning. By this afternoon, the water is expected to reach the level of the highway north of Gooding, the weather service warned.The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has sent an emergency management coordinator to Gooding to help emergency planners in nearby counties prepare for the flood threat, officials said. {read more...}