News

The Valley County Board of Commissioners is seeking an interested individual to complete a three-year term on the five-member Planning and Zoning Commission. Applicant must be a full-time resident within Valley County and must have resided continuously therein for the last five years. The Board of County Commissioners will fill the positions by appointment.

The Board of County Commissioners invite anyone who wishes to be considered for appointment to submit a letter of interest with qualifications or resume for their consideration. Resumes can be submitted to Cynda Herrick at the Planning and Zoning office located at 219 N. Main Street in Cascade, e-mailed to cherrick@co.valley.id.us, or mailed to Cynda Herrick at PO Box 1350, Cascade, ID 83611 or call 382-7115 for further information.

It is only through volunteers that this County is able to continue to provide necessary functions that its residents require. The Planning and Zoning Commission is a prime example where citizens can serve their community.

Cynda Herrick, AICP, CFM

P&Z Director

The Forest Services had completed a Burn Report for the Four Corners fire. Among the findings include:

• 2% of the acres burned did so at a high soil burn severity.
• 562 acres burned were on private property.
• A rough estimate of 19% of the fire area is assumed to have fire-induced water repellency.
• The primary threats caused by the fire include increased runoff, which is expected to intensify the first 2 to 5 years following the fire until the burned watersheds recover, and accelerated hillslope erosion, which would result from amplified runoff and decreased infiltration rates. High intensity, short duration rainfall may result in sediment loading, localized debris flows, and valley bottom flooding, primarily in the Sheep Creek, Bull Corral, Poison, Van Wyck, French, Hazard, Campbell, Skein Lake, Silver creek, Bed Ground creek drainages. Additional threats include falling trees and rolling rocks originating from destabilized hillslopes in the burned area.

Because of this it is strongly recommended that property owners downhill of the burn scar obtain flood insurance. The flood insurance policy will cover owerns in the event of mudflows off the burn scar. The risk of mudflow coming off the burn scar will exist for up to seven (7) years.

Read the Technical Bulletin about Floodproofing Guidance

Read the full Report from the Forest Service