Springtime flooding: Roads closed, volunteers stepping up

The springtime flooding in the Bemidji area and surrounding communities continues to prompt road closures and assistance from volunteers.

More than 100 people spent Tuesday morning sandbagging the east side of Lake Bemidji as they worked to keep the water from reaching homes in the Tyler Estates subdivision.

Many roads, or portions of, have been closed throughout the area and caution is urged throughout the area.

The Beltrami County Sheriff's Office said culverts throughout the county are having a difficult time handling all the water. Ditches are full and there is water running over many roads. In places where extra rock was laid, it has only washed away later.

Closed roads in Beltrami County, as of Tuesday afternoon, included:

-- Tom Jefferson Drive Northwest in Lammers Township is closed from the S-curve area one-half mile west of Northwoods Road Northwest (County Road 501). There is access from Flat Balsam Road Northwest.

-- Thoren Drive Northwest (County Road 505) is closed from the intersection of Lammers Road to one-half mile west on Lammers Road.

-- Pioneer Road Northeast (County Road 23) closed just south of Cormant Road Northeast (County Road 34).

-- Frohn Road Southeast is closed one-fourth mile north of Roosevelt Road Southeast.

-- Old Long Lake Drive Northwest. Traffic can only travel three-fourths of a mile west from Silver Lake Road Northwest. Going east from Cardinal Road (County Road 9), traffic can only go 1.25 miles.

-- Clearline Road Northwest is closed at Glacier Road (Clearwater County) near the snowmobile trail; the road is a washout. About 1.5 miles north of Grange Road (County Road 22), traffic must access from the north, if needed, anywhere north of the snowmobile trail

-- Werner Road Northwest from Grange Road going north. Road is closed for one-half mile north on Werner.

-- Lookout Tower Road Northwest is closed from Scenic Highway to County Road 328.

-- Bootleg Lake Road Southwest is closed.

-- Lake Julia Road Northwest is barely passable and is under water headed west from Irvine Avenue Northwest to Silver Lake Road.

-- Northwood Road Southwest between Danish Lane and Waterman Court Southwest is closed because of washout.

-- Hornet Road Northeast (County Road 41) is closed north of Hwy 71. Drivers must access from the north end of Hornet.

Beltrami County roads that have been designated as passable, include:

-- Lake Avenue Northeast and Power Dam Road Northeast.

-- Birchmont Beach Road and New Bass Road Northeast.

-- Willow Creek Road Northeast, one-half mile north of Highway 123rd Street Southeast, just one-fourth mile east of Van Buren Street Southeast.

-- County Road 32 west of County Road 513

-- Doral Drive Northeast at intersection of Briar Lane Northeast.

-- Silver Lake Road Northwest (County Road 301) is now open to traffic.

Area communities aren't faring too much better than Bemidji, according to the Beltrami County Sheriff's Office.

In the city of Kelliher, a lot of water has been reported in the north end of the city limits. In the city of Tenstrike, roads to the east are muddy and difficult to travel. Roads east of Tenstrike also are very muddy and hard to travel.

In Hubbard County, two roads that were closed Monday have been reopened.

Hubbard County Road 102 in Farden Township and County Road 94 in Lakeport Township now are open to traffic.

Remaining closed in Hubbard County are the following roads:

-- County Road 36 at 460th Avenue in Guthrie Township.

-- County Road 114 south of state Highway 34 in Todd Township.

-- County Road 44 west of U.S. Highway 71.

Statewide, the Minnesota Department of Transportation also has had to close portions of highways and warns drivers to be alert to potential hazardous road conditions because of flooding.

The following highways have been closed:

-- U.S. Highway 2 in Crookston at the Sixth Street underpass.

-- State Highway 9 from Ada, Minn., to Borup, Minn.

-- State Highway 200 from Ada west to state Highway 75.

Other highways with water running over the road are:

-- State Highway 9 north of Ada.

-- State Highway 9 south of Borup.

-- Highway 11 has several portions closed between Warroad, Minn., and Williams, Minn.

-- State Highway 11 in Roseau has been restricted to one lane to accommodate pumping.

-- U.S. Highway 71 north of Park Rapids near Two Inlets Road.

-- State Highway 87 between Highway 71 and 64.

-- Highway 92 north of Zerkel, Minn.

Drivers are urged to call 511 or go online to www.511mn.org for road condition information when traveling in the northwest area or any area of the state where potential flooding conditions exist.

Contractors sought

The Minnesota Department of Transportation in Bemidji also is working to identify potential contractors with heavy-duty water pumps for assistance in draining flooded roadways.

Interested individuals or businesses should contact Jim Bittmann, MnDOT materials engineer, at 755-6543 or by e-mail at James.bittmann@dot.state.mn.us as soon as possible.