Ice Jams are starting to pop up across local rivers and are even causing some flooding on the Madison in Ennis, MTN’s Carson Vickroy went to check it out.
Usually the waters of the Madison River travel under this bridge which is highway 287 but what you see here is a lot of ice, it is becoming jammed, which is causing some flooding.
Well Below average temperatures this month has caused excess ice to form on the Madison and it’s blocking the flow of the river just to the east of Ennis, this means flooding for people who live along the river upstream. Emergency management are also concerned for drivers
“In the past it has actually splashed up and ran over the top of U.S. 287 so that’s definitely a concern of ours. Especially with the traffic that leads in and out of there, People driving down U.S. 287 all the way down to west Yellowstone it is a pretty heavily trafficked area.” Emergency management director, Joe Brummell said.
Ice Jam Occurrences in Montana typically peak in March when warmer temperatures causes’ ice to break up and get stuck in ice jam prone areas like Ennis, So we are a long way from being out of the woods
With more freezing weather in the forecast more ice is expected to form not only here along the Madison but all local rivers as well, which is why law enforcement and county emergency management officials urge you to keep an eye on those water levels, In Ennis, Meteorologist Carson Vickroy.
Local law enforcement are watching South Second Street very carefully for flooding.
