Some roads off limits

Emergency managers from the region had their work cut out for them Monday as they scrambled to close roads covered with water.

Running water wasn't much of an issue but that changed this weekend, said Denise Brew, Dunn County emergency manager.

Brew said she knew there might be an issue with flooding when she drove around eastern Dunn County last week and the majority of it was still white.

"It's melting and it's starting to rush and that's something we haven't had any problems with this whole winter," she said.

Libby Gravning, Adams County emergency manager, said the problems they've been experiencing since Sunday afternoon are caused by slews, creeks and other areas where the runoff collects.

"The culverts just can't keep up so it's going wherever it can," Gravning said.

In most cases that means over the roads where the culverts are located.

"The worst part is that if it's a culvert area and that culvert washed out you might drive straight down into a hole," Brew said. "By then it's too late."

Adams, Dunn and other area counties, including Bowman, Hettinger and Stark closed roads.

Billings County Emergency Manager Pat Rummel said Billings County hasn't had issues with flooding since the Little Missouri River flooded in mid-March.

Patterson Lake has filled over the past couple of days and is going over the Dickinson Dam's spillway there has not been flooding downstream, said Gary Kostelecky, Stark County emergency manager.

This is likely because water was released from the lake to help mitigate downstream flooding when the snow finally melted, Kostelecky said.

Gravning, Kostelecky and Brew said once the water recedes reconstructing roads that were washed out begins.

Roads will stay closed until water is no longer running over them.

"It's a lot easier to close a road and inconvenience some people than to rescue a vehicle or have someone die," Brew said.

Gravning said that if residents come upon a road covered in water they should use some common sense and find another route.

"Use caution and don't go on any of the roads because even though it looks like they might be OK, there's a lot of either ruts or there's places where the roads is washed out more than you might realize."  ND Hwy 66 near Calio, ND Hwy 3 near Hurdsfield and ND Hwy 46 east of Gackle have water on roadway, other updated road info

The NDDOT urges motorists to check road conditions before traveling due to rapidly changing

conditions. The following roads have water on roadway: ND Highway 66, one-half mile east of Calio, ND Highway 3, south of Hurdsfield, and ND Highway 46, sixteen miles east of Gackle.

Motorists are urged to use caution and reduce speeds. Fluctuating water levels make it difficult to predict when and where water will go over a roadway or recede from the roadway. Below is an update of current road conditions.

The following highways were closed as of Monday due to water over the road, according to the North Dakota Department of Transportation:

- Highway 200, Bowdon to Junction of Highway 52

- Highway 27, directly east of Junction for Highway 32 in Lisbon

- Highway 13, from Lamoure to Junction of ND Highway 1 - Local traffic only

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Interstate-29, east of Grafton - Alexander Henry Rest Area closed.

- Highway 66, from ND Highway 44 to the Red River crossing

- Highway 54, from I-29 to the Red River - Open to local traffic only

- US Bus. Loop 2, Sorlie Bridge In Grand Forks

- Highway 17, bridge over Red River east of Grafton

- Highway 5, from I-29 to the Red River, east of Joliette

-Highway 200, near Hazen, from Jct of ND 200-A to Jct ND1806 - Use Alternate Route  ND Highway 1806 Or US Highway 83

- Highway 8 is closed northeast of Hettinger, due to water eroding soil underneath road, approximately four miles north of Highway 12.

- Highway 8 is closed from the junction of Highway 12 east of Hettinger to Highway 21 west of Mott with only local traffic allowed in areas not affected by the water which is approximately four miles north of Highway 12 near mile marker 16.          

The following highways have water in one lane:

- I-29, southbound lane, Exit 215 Pembina interchange

- I-29, southbound lane between Manvel (Exit 152) to the Grafton interchange (Exit 176).

- Highway 2, westbound 10 miles east of Devils Lake