Mudslide in Moyie caused by water line break, water conservation issued

MOYIE SPRINGS — When the city's main water line broke early Sunday morning, it caused a several hundred foot mudslide and led the city to declare a local state of emergency.

The 55-year-old pipe broke sometime early Sunday morning Moyie Springs Public Works Superintendent John Nelson estimates 700 to 800 gallons of water a minute gushed from the line for five to six hours, causing the mudslide that sent tons of earth into the canyon of the Moyie River. 

City officials said they learned of the line break and subsequent mudslide at about 7 a.m. Sunday by the Twin Rivers Sturgeon/Burbot Hatchery staff, who had a view of the slide across the river. Nelson was able to turn off the water about an hour later.

The water line travels approximately 1,786 feet up the canyon from the city wells and to the pump house. Nelson said the broken line scoured the sand off the rock face and created a  trench which is estimated at 40 feet deep at some portions and runs down to the river. 

“We could put a 40 by 60 foot shop in the trench,” he said. 

Nelson has been worried about what could happen if the line broke since walking over the main line 20 years ago.

“[The fault] is, unfortunately, ours,” he told the Moyie Springs City Council on Tuesday at a special meeting, noting Idaho Forest Group’s Moyie Springs mill is not to blame for either the line break or the mudslide

The “trench” holds not only Moyie’s water line but also a water line for the mill, Bonners Ferry city power line, and a Moyie communications wire.

Nelson estimates repairs will cost $150,000, but hopes that other entities that utilize the easement would be willing to invest in the project. 

Engineers with Century West were on site Tuesday, but construction repairs cannot be done until the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality approves engineering designs, Moyie officials said.

The water line supplies all of Moyie’s water, Nelson said, adding the city is at risk due to diminished fire suppression until the line can be fixed. 

City councilman and IFG employee Les Love said the mill is required to wash down all logs after three days of consecutive heat, which takes a large amount of water. 

Nelson said the city could complete the repairs in 10 days but the project must first be approved by the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality. Due to the immediacy of the project, IDEQ has guaranteed Moyie priority for engineer review. 

“They will look at the engineer plans the day they are received,” Nelson added.

City Clerk Donna Wilson-Funkhouser said since the damage was not caused by a natural disaster, the city is not eligible for funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. However, she said Moyie Spring might be eligible for Idaho Department of Water Quality funding.

The city will be reconstructing and repairing the waterline as fast as possible. Residents and businesses will be notified as soon as the waterline is restored, city officials said.

Although there was no disruption in service, Moyie Springs officials are asking residents and businesses to conserve water,  Wilson-Funkhouser said. Emergency notices are in the process of being sent out to city residents. 

“This is a mandatory request and we need your support to help recover from this devastating and debilitating incident,” the emergency notification said.   

• • •

Conservation tips for residents from the United States Environmental Protection Agency

For every room in the house with plumbing:

• Repair leaky faucets, indoors and out.

• Consider replacing old equipment (like toilets, dishwashers and laundry machines).

In the kitchen:

• When cooking, peel and clean vegetables in a large bowl of water instead of under running water.

• Fill your sink or basin when washing and rinsing dishes.

• Only run the dishwasher when it's full.

• When buying a dishwasher, select one with a "light-wash" option.

• Only use the garbage disposal when necessary (composting is a great alternative).

• Install faucet aerators.

In the bathroom:

• Take short showers instead of baths.

• Turn off the water to brush your teeth, shave and soap up in the shower. Fill the sink to shave.

• Repair leaky toilets. Add 12 drops of food coloring into the tank, and if color appears in the bowl one hour later, your toilet is leaking.

• Install a toilet dam, faucet aerators, and low-flow showerheads.

Laundry

• Run full loads of laundry.

• When purchasing a new washing machine, buy a water-saving model that can be adjusted to the load size.

No outdoor watering of lawns: 

• Maximize the use of natural vegetation and establish smaller lawns. For portions of your lot where a lawn and landscaping are desired, ask your local nursery for tips about plants and grasses with low water demand (such as creeping fescue). Consider planting more trees, shrubs, ground covers, and less grass. Shrubs and groundcovers provide greenery for much of the year and usually demand less water. Use native plants in flower beds. 

• When mowing your lawn, set the mower blades to 2-3 inches high. Longer grass shades the soil improving moisture retention, and has more leaf surface to take in sunlight, allowing it to grow thicker and develop a deeper root system. This helps grass survive drought, tolerate insect damage, and fend off disease.

• Apply mulch around shrubs and flower beds to reduce evaporation, promote plant growth and control weeds.

• Add compost or organic matter to soil as necessary, to improve soil conditions and water retention.

• Collect rainfall for irrigation in a screened container (to prevent mosquito larvae growth).

• When washing a car, wet it quickly, then use a bucket of water to wash the car. Turn on the hose to final rinse or go to a car wash outside of Moyie Springs. 

• Always use a broom to clean walkways, driveways, decks and porches, rather than hosing off these areas.

    A portion of the "trench" created by Moyie Springs broken main water line.