JUNE 16, 2022:
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Damaging floodwaters that tore through Yellowstone National Park menaced communities downstream where residents cleaned up from the mess and kept an eye on rising river levels. Residents of Montana’s largest city were asked to conserve water because it was down to a limited supply after a combination of heavy rain and rapidly melting mountain snow raised the Yellowstone River to historic levels that forced them to shut down Billings water treatment plant. City officials were optimistic the river would drop quickly enough for the plant to resume operations before tanks ran dry in the city of 110,000.
JUNE 15, 2022:
RED LODGE, Mont. (AP) — Historic floodwaters that raged through Yellowstone National Park may have permanently altered the course of a popular fishing river and left the sweeping landscape forever changed. Park officials say more than 10,000 visitors were ordered out of the nation’s oldest national park after unprecedented flooding tore through its northern half, washing out bridges and roads and sweeping an employee bunkhouse miles downstream. Remarkably, no one was reported injured or killed. Superintendent Cam Sholly said Tuesday the only visitors left in the massive park straddling three states were a dozen campers still making their way out of the backcountry. He says the park’s northern entrances may be closed all summer.
The information below is from the National Park Service:
Condition of North Entrance Road between Gardiner, Montana, and Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park June 14, 2022.
National Park Service photo by Doug Kraus.
Condition of Northeast Entrance Road in Yellowstone National Park June 14, 2022.
National Park Service photo by Jacob W. Frank.
JUNE 14, 2022:
“Due to record flooding events in the park and more precipitation in the forecast, we have made the decision to close Yellowstone to all inbound visitation,” said superintendent Cam Sholly. “Our first priority has been to evacuate the northern section of the park where we have multiple road and bridge failures, mudslides and other issues. The community of Gardiner is currently isolated, and we are working with the county and State of Montana to provide necessary support to residents, who are currently without water and power in some areas. Due to predictions of higher flood levels in areas of the park’s southern loop, in addition to concerns with water and wastewater systems, we will begin to move visitors in the southern loop out of the park later today in coordination with our in-park business partners. We will not know timing of the park’s reopening until flood waters subside and we’re able to assess the damage throughout the park. It is likely that the northern loop will be closed for a substantial amount of time. I appreciate the efforts of the Yellowstone team and partners to safely evacuate areas of the park and of our gateway community partners who are helping us through this major event. We appreciate the support offered by the Department of the Interior, National Park Service and the Montana and Wyoming governors.”
Northeast Entrance Road washed out near Soda Butte Picnic Area.
NPS photo.
High water levels in the Lamar River eroding the Northeast Entrance Road.
NPS photo.
Screenshot of NPS video of flooding in Yellowstone National Park June 13, 2022.
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