Bannock County begins early distribution of sandbags to protect against potential flooding

POCATELLO – The county government is offering free sandbags to protect against flooding over a month earlier than they normally do.

Bannock County has been distributing sandbags to people in danger of flooding for around three years, normally starting sometime between the middle and end of March. On Friday, it announced that the community could start picking up or refilling sandbags due to recent warm weather causing soil to thaw and snow to melt and pool in some areas of lower elevation.

“It’s a precautionary measure, making sure that your home is safe and secure. Anything that you can do in advance of potential weather conditions, I highly recommend it,” said Wes Jones, emergency management director for Bannock County.

Jones clarified the county isn’t as concerned with flood conditions arising along rivers in the county but rather with “aerial flooding.”

“We’ve had a little bit of snowfall occasionally, and then it warms up rather quickly, and when it does that, there’s aerial flooding, and that’s the ponding around homes in different areas and fields,” Jones said.

People can go to the following locations if they want to pick up a sandbag:

• Bannock County Road & Bridge Office (5500 South Fifth Avenue, Pocatello)
• Fort Hall Mine Landfill Office (1500 North Fort Hall Mine Road, Pocatello)
• Inkom City Office (365 North Rapid Creek Road, Inkom)
• McCammon City Office (802 Front Street, McCammon)
• Lava Hot Springs City Hall (115 Elm Street, Lava Hot Springs)
• Downey City Office (15 South Main Street, Downey)
• Downey Swan Lake Highway District (211 US-91, Downey)
• Arimo City Office (115 Henderson Road, Arimo)

For residents who have sand bags to fill, they can go to:

• Bannock County Road & Bridge Office (5500 South Fifth Avenue, Pocatello)
• Fort Hall Mine Landfill Stockpile Yard (Below Gate, 1500 North Fort Hall Mine Road, Pocatello)
• County yard on Old Highway 91 east side of I-15, Inkom
• County yard on 200 North Front Street, McCammon
• County yard on east side of Blazer Highway/US 30 Intersection, Lava Hot Springs
• Downey City Office (15 South Main St., Downey)
• Downey Swan Lake Highway District (211 US-91, Downey)

While the areas around rivers and other bodies of water don’t have cause for immediate concern, Jones encourages everyone living in low-lying areas to be aware of flood conditions and assess how to best protect their property.

“A lot of the homeowners and the residents are already familiar with the low spots and they could recognize where the flooding impacts are going to be,” Jones said. “The residents know from a historic perspective.”

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