The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1947-12-04
Army Engineer
Writes About
Flood Control

A report from the chief of En-
gineers, u. S. Army, Washington
ID. c., was forwarded to Congress
man Mike Mansfield under date of
November II, copies of which were
( received by number of Lincoln
! County officials and others incluo-
ing the Western News. The report
which is in regard to flood control
work in and near Libby follows:
Honorable Mike Mansfield
House of Representatives,
Washington, D. c.
Dear Mr. Mansfield:
Further reference is made to your
letter of October 1947 inclosing
a communication from Mr.. Charles
D. Rowe of Libby, Montana, urging
/ improvement of Libby Creek IN
the interest of flood control. AS
stated in my letter of 9 October
/ further information on this sub
ject was requested from Colonel
Theron D. Weaver, the Division
Engineer of the North Pacific Di-
vision, has now been received.
In this connection, references is
also made to your telegram of 4
November 1947 to Colonel Hewitt
concerning the flood conditions at
Libby and the wire dated 5 Novem-
Der l947 from Colonel Hewitt's Of
flee stating that this office would
communicate directly with you re-
garding this matter. In addition,
reference is made to your letter of
6 November ,1947 inclosing a tele4
gram from the Board of County
Commissioners of Lincoln County,
Montana, in Qualification of their
earlier wire to you concerning the
flood problem in the Libby area.
In response to previous requests
from local interests in the Libby
area, an examination of the streams
at and in the vicinity of Libby was
made on 3 October l947 by a repre-
sentative of Colonel Hewitt's of
flee accompanied by Mr. Ira G.
Miller, County Surveyor, Lincoln
County, Montana. Since the interest
of Mr.. Rowe was not known to
Colonel Hewitt's office at that time,
Mr.. Rowe was not consulted during !
that inspection Subsequently, Col :
Hewitt's office was informed, on !
20 October 1947, by the Regional
Office, United States Weather BUR- !
eau, that all creeks in the LIBBY
area were at flood stage. Accord ii
ingly, another examination wos !,
made on % October 1947 by an :
from Colonel Hewitts Of
flee in the company of the County
Clerk and Recorder in Lincoln
County, the City Clerk of Libby =
the Chairman of the Board of
County Commissioners of Lincoln
County and Mr. Rowe, who is
of the Montana State Legis- r
ature. Following the receipt of o
your telegram of 4 November 1947, 2
Colonel Hewitt's office communi- L
lated by telephone with Mr. George "
Earle, the County Clerk and Re o
,order, who stated that no addi- p
ional flood damage had occurred Y
n the Libby area subsequent to v
70 October 1947. n
The city of Libby and its sur =
oundng area occupied the lower :,
md of compound debris cone built =
lp by Libby, Flower and Parmenter =
Sreeks, tributaries of the Kootenai :.
diver, which originate in the Cab -
net Mountains at high elevations =
nd flow through deep valleys to
he points at which they debouch q.
INTO the relatively flat debris cone. e
The lower reach of Libby Creek -
orms the eastern boundary of the n
own of Libby, and Flower Creek =,
orms the western boundary of the =,
ettled portion of the town Par -
nenter Creek generally parallels ~
lower Creek about one mile to a
he west of that stream The val 2,
~ lying between Flower and Par e;
renter Creeks is utilized for small %
arms and suburban home sites, and g.,
portion of this valley is now being
feared and plated as an addition a.
, the city In the lower reaches, -
lie three creeks occupy wide shall =,
wv channels, the low banks of p.
hitch are subject to erosion by n,
ign flows and by currents set up -
y constantly shifting gravel bars. ~
Continued on Page Six M