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Residents urge Colstrip council to fix repeated flooding in Vista Drive cul-de-sac
Summary
Homeowners presented photos and an engineering packet to the city, saying a 3 CFS drain is inadequate for larger storms and asking the council to take responsibility for recurring basement and garage flooding; mayor said the issue will be on the next meeting agenda.
Ashley Denneke, a Vista Drive homeowner, told the Colstrip City Council her house and garage have flooded repeatedly since 2015 and that years of town‑level responses have not solved the problem.
"We literally put on park our coats, to try to keep the storm drain clean," Denneke said, summarizing a decade of efforts to protect her home. She brought photos and a packet from KLJ showing the cul‑de‑sac’s drainage design and said the city’s current maintenance and the cul‑de‑sac’s single small drain have not prevented repeated flood damage.
The most immediate technical claim in the public record came from a resident who cited the cul‑de‑sac’s design capacity as 3 cubic feet per second (CFS), which she said is a two‑year storm standard and insufficient for larger storms and the rainfall events that have produced repeated basement flooding. "That’s just not adequate," the resident said.
Why it matters: repeated residential flooding imposes direct repair costs and disruption to families, and it raises questions about whether existing drainage standards and maintenance practices match current storm patterns.
Council response and next steps: Mayor Williams acknowledged the packet and photos and said staff recently visited the site. He told residents the matter will be placed on the next council agenda so members can review proposals and additional information before deciding on work or funding. No formal commitment of city funds or a schedule was adopted at this meeting.
What residents asked for: residents requested the council review the KLJ study supplied with their materials, consider changing maintenance or design approaches for the cul‑de‑sac, and clarify whether the city accepts responsibility for stormwater damage or expects residents to file insurance claims.
Context and related details: residents said they have repeatedly cleaned storm drains, hired a private engineer on their behalf and spent many hours and personal money on mitigation efforts. One commenter noted they had spent nearly 20 hours on cleanup after the most recent storm. The council did not provide a final resolution but committed to make the issue a formal agenda item at the next meeting.
Ending: The council did not take immediate action at this meeting; Mayor Williams said the drainage concerns and the residents’ materials will be on the next council agenda for more formal consideration.
