Bighorn River Access Closed by Flooding

The Grant Marsh fishing access site on the Bighorn River, north of Hardin, was closed to traffic Wednesday because of high river levels. It will remain closed until the water level subsides and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials can assess damages. Water flowing down the Bighorn River has washed out part of the entrance road and inundated the interior roads, parking lot, latrine and boat launch, making any use of the park hazardous.

As of late Tuesday, the federal Bureau of Reclamation was releasing more than 12,481 cubic feet of water per second into the Bighorn River from Yellowtail Dam.

Bureau of Reclamation officials said Tuesday during a conference call with interested agencies, officials and groups that they intend to keep the river levels between 12,000 cfs and 13,000 cfs at least through the Fourth of July weekend.

Meanwhile, water was flowing into the top end of Bighorn Lake, backed up by Yellowtail Dam, at 16,705.9 cfs, and the lake was filling at a rate of about 8 inches per day. The lake level was at an elevation of 3,645.1 feet, more than 4 feet into the "flood pool," and BOR officials predict that it could add another 2 feet of depth this week.

Posted in Montana on Thursday, June 25, 2009