A week after water flooded parts of Rock Springs, many businesses have reopened, but a few continue cleaning up.
Water spurred by heavy rainfall flooded many businesses in downtown Rock Springs, but wasn’t limited to that area of the city. Another heavily hit portion of the city was the industrial area off Elk Street, including Pacific Steel and Recycling, Surfaces Inc. and Winlectric. At Pacific Steel and Recycling, 14 inches of water entered the office area, resulting in sections of wall and office furniture being replaced.
Chad Banks, manager of the Rock Springs Main Street organization, said many of the downtown businesses have reopened while a few, such as Copier and Supply, continue to clean up. Banks said some of the basements in downtown buildings continue to be cleaned as well. Main Street helped coordinate volunteers and sandbags for downtown businesses, however Banks said the situation highlighted the need for disaster preparedness planning. In the coming months, Banks said Main Street board will look at both creating a disaster plan and possibly earmarking some money to help offset businesses’ cleanup costs during a disaster.
“A lot of that comes out of their (business owners’) pockets,” Banks said.
Main Street’s offices at the Bunning Transfer Building escaped flood damage, though Banks said several inches of water did come to the side of the building. The Broadway Theater was a concern early during the flood as about a foot of water collected at the theater entrances. The doors did hold much of the water back and resulted in only minor cleanup and drying needed for the theater’s lobby.
“The Broadway was very fortunate,” Banks said.
Rock Springs Main Street was forced to postpone both its ribbon cutting for its Bank Court improvements, as well as the opening of its farmers market due to the flooding. Both the ribbon cutting and the farmers market were rescheduled for Thursday.
A statement released by Judy Roderick, coordinator for Sweetwater County Emergency Management and Homeland Security, states while Niobrara and Johnson Counties were listed as federal disaster areas and are eligible for disaster relief, Sweetwater County is excluded from that designation.
According to the Wyoming Office of Homeland Security, flooding in the two counties resulted in the destruction of 14 homes, with another 165 homes experiencing some form of flood damage. Another 60 businesses and nonprofit organizations were also damaged as well. Flooding in Niobrara and Johnson Counties occurred in early June, a month earlier than Sweetwater County’s flooding.
“Due to the high level of damage, assessed in monetary terms, a federal disaster declaration was made regarding Niobrara and Johnson Counties,” Roderick said in the statement.
Sweetwater County cannot apply for a federal disaster declaration unless damages exceed $1 million.
Roderick said while tabulations are being made, officials don’t expect that $1 million damage threshold to be reached.
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