Commemorating the Flood of '64

1964... That year is etched forever in the minds of people living in the Flathead Valley at the time.

The reason was the mammoth natural disaster that unfolded June 8 and 9 that is now known simply as the Flood of ’64.

Torrential rains on top of a near-record snowpack spawned floodwaters that created havoc all the way from Marias Pass to Flathead Lake.

It was such an epic event that people five decades later still have vivid memories of the flood: the roar of the water, the smell of the mud, the sounds of bridges collapsing.

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the flood, the Inter Lake on Saturday is publishing a special section looking back at the flood and what people went through when rivers roared to levels far higher than anything in the valley’s recorded history.

The flood section contains some elements that are contained in the Daily Inter Lake’s newly published book, “Torrents of Rain, Miles of Misery: The Flood of ’64,” plus additional color photos.

The 128-page book features 46 stories (including many eyewitness accounts) and more than 200 photos that detail the impacts of the flood.

We asked our readers to share their photos and recollections of the Flood of ’64, and they provided an overwhelming response. Their contributions, as well as the priceless photos of the late Mel Ruder, make for compelling reading.

The “Flood of ’64” book is available at the Daily Inter Lake office or by calling 755-7000. Be aware this is a limited edition, so we encourage you to pick up your copy before they are gone.

Catching the weather bug!

What’s the weather forecast for the weekend? Helena Flats and West Valley eighth-graders soon will be able to tell us. With the recent installation of WeatherBug Tracking Stations, students will be able to track hyper-local live weather data via a computer or smartphone.

The weather stations were funded through a Plum Creek grant to begin a project called the Glacier to Glacier Energy Challenge. In addition to tracking weather and studying climate change, students will look at ways to minimize energy use in school. Evergreen Junior High, which already has a weather station, is joining the collaborative project.

The addition of weather stations at these rural schools is bound to get kids excited about meteorology and make science a little more fun.

Editorials represent the majority opinion of the Daily Inter Lake’s editorial board.