Spring means soggy basements

The Daily Inter Lake

Several basements - mostly in southern Kalispell -have been flooded recently because of rain and melting snow, according to the city Public Works Department.

When spring rains return, the department expects to receive more flooding reports, City Public Works Director Jim Hansz said.

Traditionally, southern Kalispell basements are the hardest hit by flooding from snow and rain because they are downhill from the rest of the town.

Years ago, some subdivisions were built in southern Kalispell that shortchanged planning for drainage, especially in an area where it used to be soggy enough for duck hunting, Hansz said.

In recent years, the city government has worked to require housing development projects to tackle drainage issues before getting approval to build. The city even hired an engineer specializing in drainage to handle those matters.