Jams put river at major flood stage around Lisbon

Ice jams along several bridges and bends in the Sheyenne River channel around Lisbon, N.D., have pushed the river into major flood stage.

Lisbon Mayor Ross Cole said the town had to sandbag around the bridge and a couple of low spots on the dike.

"We didn't have any damage or anything like that, so it was a good night," he said.

The top elevation of emergency levees in Lisbon is 21 feet.

On Monday night, the river jumped to 19.48 feet, nearly a half-foot about major flood stage. The Sheyenne had dropped to 18.28 feet by 4 p.m. Tuesday.

Floodwaters forced closure of the Highway 27 bridge that connects Lisbon's east and west sides, and the National Weather Service said a flood warning continues for the Sheyenne River at Lisbon.

Much of the ice was cleared from the Highway 32 bridge Monday night, but additional jams may form at the Highway 27 or railroad bridges in Lisbon or in bends of the river channel just south of town, the weather service reported.

Ice jams will cause river level fluctuations of 1 to 3 feet, the weather service said.

However, any precipitation this week won't be significant enough to influence river levels, and snowmelt runoff in the Devils Lake Basin and the upper portions of the Sheyenne River Basin is expected to be gradual as temperatures continue to give ideal melt conditions, the weather service said.

Cole said so far, it looks like most of the ice has passed through town.

"I haven't heard that we've got any other issues, any more coming at us," he said. "We'll just kind of keep an eye on things, I guess, and see what transpires from here."

The Sheyenne crested at a record 22.8 feet in Lisbon last year.

New gates and valves on storm sewers have since been installed to help reduce street flooding, which was a problem last year.

Readers can reach Forum reporter Tracy Frank at (701) 241-5526