Lincoln County raises reservoir, water and shelter repairs as priorities amid disaster recovery

Lincoln County officials told visiting congressional staff that local infrastructure needs highlighted by recent storms include emergency repairs to a lower-reservoir retaining wall, long-delayed water and wastewater upgrades, and a replacement animal shelter.

Officials said the city had temporarily isolated one side of the reservoir with a cofferdam and was pumping and dredging sediment to allow geotechnical work to anchor a new retaining wall. County staff asked whether federal disaster funds or USDA Rural Development programs might cover those repairs, and congressional staff offered to connect them with a USDA RD contact in Helena who they said had some disaster-related funds for water, wastewater, community facilities, businesses and housing.

County participants emphasized that FEMA reimbursement timelines are uncertain and often slow, and they asked whether relief would come as direct project funding or as reimbursement after the county paid for repairs. Officials also flagged potential contamination issues (vermiculite and disturbed soils) at some washed-out banks that could require involvement from DEQ or EPA and complicate cleanup plans and eligibility.

Separately, county staff described an animal-shelter facility on city-owned land that they call undersized and in poor condition; they have hired two full-time attendants and are exploring ground-up construction on land outside town to increase capacity, and they asked staff about grant programs that could help cover community facilities needs.

County officials said they would provide photos and documentation of damaged infrastructure for follow-up and that staff from the congressional delegation would help route contacts and explore funding pathways.