By Brian L. Gray

The water levels of the Missouri or Heart Rivers are not expected to instill the damage and flood fears that occurred last year, but if what happened last spring repeats itself in the future, a formal plan is now in place to respond to the flooding.

Eleven local organizations came together to create a flood plan for Morton County and the city of Mandan. Led by Morton County Emergency Management, the organizations began meeting in September and held six meetings to create a flood plan if surrounding waters will rise again.

The plan includes involved agencies and what those agencies’ responsibilities will be, local resources, contact information, where sandbag filling areas will be and what volunteers can do to help, among more.

The plan maps out what action will be taken at several different levels of rising waters. “The plan covers six different levels of action, and what must be done during each of those levels,” said Tammy Lapp-Harris, director of Morton County Emergency Management. “At each level of feet, it details what needs to be done around the rivers.” The plan was written for both the Missouri and Heart Rivers.

Lapp-Harris said the rivers are not anticipated to rise to cautious levels this year, but monitoring is still taking place at this time.

Organizations involved in the plan include the city departments of public works, engineering, police, fire and water treatment. County departments include GIS, sheriff and highway. The plan was created in part because of last year’s sudden flooding, where the city and county departments were forced to act with no formal plan in place.

“Last year we had no plan and we did really well, but I think this will make it all the easier,” said Mandan Mayor Tim Helbling.

Flooding information can be found online at co.morton.nd.us, under the link “2010 Flood Information.”