Laramie Flooding

Although there has been no single major disaster, damages associated with landslides, saturated agricultural lands, flash flooding in Crook County and the record levels in rivers, creeks and streams across Wyoming have compelled Governor Matt Mead to sign a disaster declaration.  Mead says the declaration is necessary for the state to qualify for assistance from the federal government. Director of

Alex Jeffrey Dalles died Friday, June 10th at Children's Hospital in Denver, Colo. after being found in an irrigation ditch near his home on Thursday. Authorities say the 21-month-old lives on a ranch west of Laramie, where the swollen Little Laramie River feeds into the ditch.

The flood preparations made by the City of Laramie and Albany County have been worth it thus far as no levies have yet to be breached according to Chuck Murrieta, the Albany County Emergency Management Agency spokesman, even though the Laramie River has been in the flood stage since Sunday.

Like many others in the Laramie community, WyoTech was caught a little off guard when the Laramie River reached flood levels last summer, so this year they made sure they are well prepared. With the Laramie River currently above the flood stage of 5 feet, students at WyoTech are spending time before, in between and after classes filling sandbags.

The Laramie City Council had a busy night on Tuesday as many topics were discussed. The topics of discussion were that of flooding issues along the Laramie River and mosquito control. Another topic the council unanimously voted in agreement for was that of submitting a bid proposal to bring the 2013-14 Wyoming Senior Olympic Games to Laramie.

Now that the snowpack in Wyoming has begun to melt, the predicted flooding has begun to occur across the state. Different counties are finding different challenges arise with the water. Lincoln County public health officials have found three private water wells contaminated by high groundwater tables caused by prolonged flooding according to the Associated Press.

The Laramie River reached flood stage on Sunday as the warm weekend resulted in melting snowpack from the Snowy Range mountains. Laramie is under a flood warning until further notice. The National Weather Service considers flood stage at Laramie to be 5.0 feet and is predicting the Laramie River will continue to swell over the next week.

Flooding is occurring in many places around the state. Laramie has yet to see the water level grow out of control but every precaution is being taken to avoid flooding hazards. This morning at 9am to 12pm, The Big Laramie Volunteer Fire Department is asking for the communities help in filling sand bags to prepare for flooding in Laramie.