Lincoln County officials outline flood, wind damage and FEMA reimbursement steps

Lincoln County officials told visiting NRDP representatives that a severe December storm followed by multiple wind events caused major erosion, debris piles and infrastructure damage across the Libby Creek watershed and other basins, and that the county is now juggling emergency repairs, environmental cleanup and a slow federal reimbursement process.

The meeting was opened by the chair, who said the initial storm — described by participants as an "atmospheric river" around Dec. 11 — dumped heavy rain and runoff into tributaries such as Granite and Cherry creeks that feed Libby Creek. "I think it was December 11th," the chair said, describing rapid rises that inundated low-lying areas and swept debris downstream. He added that subsequent wind events toppled trees onto homes and exacerbated cleanup needs: "it was actually worse than the first one."

Why it matters: officials said two federal emergency declarations (for flood and for wind) were signed and staff expect FEMA funds, but the county must front costs and submit detailed documentation before reimbursement. "We should be getting the funds as of Friday because they signed the declaration," the chair said, noting the process is reimbursement-only and that FEMA can deny claims for procedural errors.

County staff reported several substantial repairs already underway or completed. Granite Creek Road had an abutment rebuilt and reinforced with flowable fill and larger riprap, and the state helped secure a contractor to install a temporary crossing at the damaged Keeler Kirk bridge approach after a levee failure doubled travel distances for some residents. Officials said they hired a debris-mitigation monitor (named in the briefing as Roan and a monitoring contractor linked to an owner named Austin) and contracted drone surveys to inventory woody debris, metal and building material in waterways before removal can be permitted and performed.

Environmental and safety concerns were also raised. Speakers reported that an EPA-era levee on port property failed and reportedly released material flagged during site work as containing asbestos; the state Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) was described as working on that contamination. "They left material in place that they knew had asbestos in it," a speaker said during the visit; DEQ had placed barriers at a pocket park and is coordinating the response, according to attendees.

Officials cautioned that debris removal faces technical and jurisdictional limits: miles of stream, mixed private ownership along channels, access challenges and restrictions from permitting agencies limit what can be removed and when. The chair said the county hired a contractor to help navigate FEMA's documentation requirements and a debris-removal firm is slated to begin work after monitoring and permitting steps are completed.

What's next: participants said they will document damage heavily for FEMA and planned additional inspections this week, with a broader recovery workshop scheduled for mid-August to prioritize projects for the next solicitation round. Several county roads and trail systems still need permanent fixes, and officials said some repairs may seek a mix of FEMA, state emergency and local funding.

The meeting closed with participants agreeing to continue coordination and to provide NRDP with scoping and documentation for projects to be considered during the upcoming workshop.