Flathead County crews and fire personnel worked to clear a logjam in the middle of the Stillwater River near Kalispell on Wednesday afternoon.
Sheriff Chuck Curry said the logjam was diverting water to the already water-logged properties along River Road. Removing it would hopefully mitigate some of the flow, Curry said.
The logjam presented a tough challenge because it was located in the middle of the river, Curry said, instead of at a bridge where crews could access the logs easier.
Crew members approached the jam by boat and used a chainsaw to cut apart the huge logs before attempting to remove them with a cable connected to a backhoe on the shore.
Curry expects this to be one of many logjams to come during the spring flood season.
Personnel involved included Evergreen Fire Rescue, Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, Flathead County Office of Emergency Services and Flathead County Road and Bridge.
For more flood information, call the Office of Emergency Service’s flood hotline at 406-758-2111.