Mudslides, flooding hit Whitefish during rainstorm
<p>A private pond at a residence off Big Mountain Road was breached after heavy rain hit the area on Friday. The water released from the pond flooded the area around Les Mason State Park.</p>
A potent rain storm Friday led to numerous mudslides around Whitefish Lake and caused a massive breach in a private pond off Big Mountain Road that sent a wall of water toward Les Mason State Park.
The private fishing pond on the property most well-known as the former residence of TV actor Jim Nabors broke open Friday night. A river of water hit East Lakeshore Drive and spilled across the road in a swath a few hundred yards wide.
Water and debris swept through the Les Mason parking area and surrounding forest.
One home adjacent to the park was partially flooded. Crews on the scene Monday morning said about three or four dump truck loads of rock and debris was pushed into the lake near the house.
An access road to the Les Mason parking area was closed Monday as crews worked to clear the area.
The heavy rain Friday also caused numerous mudslides along East Lakeshore Drive. Flathead County road crews were busy Monday clearing one slide that crossed the road near Hellroaring Creek.
Flathead County Public Works Director David Prunty said crews will attempt to build a buttress in the area of the slide.
He said it’s difficult to prevent slides on the narrow portion of East Lakeshore that traverses above the lake.
“With that steep of a slope and that volume of water, bad things happen,” Prunty said.
Also Friday, a rock retaining wall on Rest Haven Drive broke away and ended up hitting the carport of a nearby home.
“It was a pretty significant event,” Prunty said.
County crews will work with the property owner to develop a better drainage system near the wall.
Officials at Whitefish Mountain Resort said the storm caused some minor erosion along the unmaintained trails on the Toni Matt and Big Ravine slopes. People are advised to use other trails when hiking the mountain to prevent further erosion.
The National Weather Service reported 1.12 inches of rain fell in Whitefish during a 24 hour period beginning Friday morning. Other amateur rain gauges in Whitefish showed more than 2 inches of rain fell during the entire weather event.