Transportation

Geography

Historical Background

Identified Hazards

Issues

Maps

Shoshone County has seven incorporated communities: Kellogg (pop. 2,395), Mullan (840), Osburn (1,545), Pinehurst (1,661), Smelterville (651), Wallace (960), and Wardner (215). The total population for the county in 2000 was 13,771. That is a decrease of 1% since 1990.

Transportation

Geography

Land Area: 2,640 square miles.

Historical Background

Established February 4, 1864 with its county seat at Pierce. In 1885 the county seat was moved to Murray , in 1890 to Osborn, and finally to Wallace in 1893. The first organized unit of government within Idaho boundaries, created and named for the Shoshoni Indians in 1858 by the Washington Territorial Legislature as part of Washington, effective in 1861.

County Seat: Wallace

Flood - 3/20/1997

Event Summary:    Rainshowers led to flooding in North Idaho counties.

County Summary: 

The Spokesman-Review 21 Mar 97

Severe Weather - 2/1996

Event Summary:    $100,000,000.00 - The worst flooding in 30 years forces thousands to flee.  "one week deep freeze, the next deep water".  The deluge was triggered from fast-melting snow and days of heavy rains.  $5 million worh of damage occurred to highways from Bonners  Ferry to Grangeville.

County Summary: Declared a disaster area.  Interstate 90 in Wallace was closed due to water over the road.  The town of Kingston was flooded. Most cities' water supplies were contaminated. $7 million damage to roads.

The Spokesman-Review 9,16 Feb 96

Rock Burst - 3/12/1986

Event Summary: A rock burst at the 4,900-foot level of the Lucky Friday silver mine, killing one miner.

County Summary: One miner was killed and 2 others injured when a rock burst at the 4,900-foot level of the Lucky Friday silver mine.

Lewiston Tribune 13 March 1986

Flood - 2/15/1982

Event Summary:  A warm, damp weekend caused spotty erosion in farm fields and converted north central Idaho's deep snow pack into a serious flood hazard.

County Summary: Maries Creek, a tributary of St. Maries River, flooded the logging community between Bovill and Fernwood.  Many buildings had up to 10 inches of water in them.  A mudslide occurred near Orofino due to the large amounts of rain.

Lewiston Morning Tribune 16-20 Feb 82

Volcanic - 5/19/1980

Event Summary:    $13,700,000.00 - Mount St. Helens erupted from Washington spewing volcanic ash over several states.  Dust covered cities and contaminated drinking water.  The fallout prompted Governor Evans to declare a state of emergency. The counties in the panhandle received from one-inch to 3-inches of an ash blanket.  Costs for increased unemployment, destruction of vehicles and other equipment, damage to crops, livestock and timber, and lost tax revenues was about $13.7 million.  This does not include loss to residents, local businesses and government.

Flood - 1/15/1974

Event Summary:    $116,000,000.00 - Flood waters isolated much of the Coeur d'Alene mining district.  The waters burst dams, blocked major roadways and forced evacuation of at least 1,000 persons.  About $65 million in damages. Shoshone and Benewah hardest hit. $9.5 million in damage to road systems.  $51.4 million in damage to private property. Governor Andrus declared the counties  disaster areas.  More than 30 bridges were destroyed in 3 counties.

County Summary: nearly 800 people were without telephone service near Pinehurst.  A bridge collapsed over Coeur d'Alene River's South Fork isolating hundreds.  The Sunshine mine was shut down after power was lost and a dam burst.  The Red Cross helped about 700 families.  "millions of dollars in damage to this county alone" Charles Hibbard said.  Received over $115,000 in food.

Lewiston Morning Tribune 17 Jan 74

Wildland Fire - 7/27-8/24/1967

Event Summary:    $18,500,000.00 - A state of emergency was declared because of fires, closing range and forest land north of the Salmon River to the public.  The Idaho National Guard was dispatched to aid the fire fighters.  Fires were burning throughout the Coeur d'Alene, Nez Perce, and St. Joe National Forests.  70,000-80,000 acres were burned.  Wind gusts were up to 60 miles per hour.  2 fire fighters died in the blaze.  "Deficit spending" was allowed to cover the costs of firefighting.

County Summary: The Cabin Creek fire burned over 100 acres.

Idaho Statesman 3-7 Sept 67; Lewiston Morning Tribune

Flood - December 21-23, 1964

Event Summary:    $21,000,000.00 - During the end of December 1964, warm weather combined with heavy rains and melting snow, causing flooding along the Payette, Big Wood, Little Wood, Portneuf, Clearwater and Boise River drainages.  Hwy 21 and 15, US 95N and 30E were closed.  Over 100 homes were damaged, numerous bridges were washed out, and thousands of acres of farmlands were flooded.  2 deaths were attributed to the flood.  A state of emergency was declared.

County Summary: The Wallace-Kellogg area was the hardest hit in northern Idaho.  Communities were isolated by small mountain streams that had become torrents.  200 hundred people were evacuated from the Veterans Village in Wallace, which was located at the conflux of Placer Creek and the South Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River.  Four housing units were swept away when floodwaters  washed out the bank underneath them.  Emergency water supplies were sent to Wallace and Kellogg when their water systems were contaminated by floodwaters.

The Idaho Statesman 12/24/64

Flood - 2/4/1963

Event Summary: Cold weather created ice jams and cloudbursts created flooding throughout several counties in the Panhandle.  President Kennedy authorized $250,000 in flood relief loans.  $4.7 million in damage throughout the state this year.

County Summary: Ice jam was about 2 miles in length from Lost Creek to Jupiter Creek.  A giant ice jam occurred on the North Fork of the Coeur  d’Alene River that threatened residents near Prichard.

The Idaho Statesman

Earthquake - 12/18/1957

Event Summary:  Quake felt in Wallace, Osburn, and Mullan.

County Summary: Damage to the Galena Silver Mine and frightened miners working 3,400 feet underground.

Article clipping from Historical Library, Coeur d'Alene Press

Flood - 5/23-6/5/1948

Event Summary: The 1948 flood was caused by abnormal snowmelt augmented by rainstorms the latter part of May and in June.  The floods caused contamination of the water system, which left residents without drinking water. Over $3,700,000 damage to roads and highways. $30 Million damage to crops.

County Summary: Flood Emergency Declared

Lewiston Morning Tribune

Flood - 4/18/1938

Event Summary:    $100,000.00 - Heavy rains lead to flooding of Shoshone county.  The St. Joe's River flooded.

County Summary: $100,000.00 -  Mullan, Wallace, and Kellogg sustained approximately $100,000 in damage.  The Avery CCC Camp was washed out.

Shoshone County Flood Control Project; Crowell & Asleson's Up the Swiftwater

Wildland Fire - Setzer Creek Blaze - 1934

Event Summary:  A spark from a locomotive ignited the Setzer Creek blaze.

County Summary: 37,000 acres were charred behind Avery after a spark from a locomotive ignited the hillsides. 

Up the Swiftwater

Flood - 3/27-29/1934

Event Summary:   Heavy rains lead to flooding.

County Summary: 

Shoshone County Flood Control Project

Flood - 12/21-23/1933

Event Summary:    $3,500,000.00 - A sudden thaw in December accompanied by heavy rains (over 20 inches in 23 days) caused landslides and flooding.  Coeur d’Alene Lake reached an all time high level.  The South Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River and Placer Creek went over their banks inundating the eastern and western sections of Wallace; then Nine Mile Creek overflowed its banks, adding to the already extensive destruction.

County Summary:  $3,500,000.00 - Thousands of people fled their homes and 11 were reported dead.  Rock and land slides also occurred at Wallace and Kellogg.  Kellogg was virtually washed away.  Lake Coeur d'Alene reached 100-year flood levels.  Nearly $1 million in property damage was reported in Wallace alone.  Shoshone County reported over $3.5 million.

FEMA, Lewiston Morning Tribune 23 December 1933, Shoshone County Flood Control Project

Wildland Fire - 1929

Event Summary:  Huge acreage burned in the St. Joe

County Summary: Huge acreage burned in Loop Creek, Slate Creek, and Big Creek.

Up the Swiftwater

Wildland - 1928

Event Summary:  Huge acreage burned in The St. Joe.

County Summary: Huge acreage burned in Loop Creek, Slate Creek, and Big Creek.

Up the Swiftwater

Wildland Fire - 1919

Event Summary:    Huge acreage burned in the St. Joe

County Summary: Huge acreage burned in Loop Creek, Slate Creek, and Big Creek.

Up the Swiftwater

Flood -  December 18, 1917 

Event Summary:  On May 18th, flooding of the Coeur d'Alene River area, establishing a lake elevation of 2137.5 feet above sea level; the normal elevation for Coeur d'Alene Lake is 2126.5, suspending rail and highway transportation for several days. On December 18 of that same year the flood waters reached the same level, causing thousands of dollars in property damage.

University of Idaho Library Collection: Shoshone County Flood Control Project

Wildland Fire - 1917

 Huge acreage burned in the St. Joe

County Summary: Huge acreage burned in Loop Creek, Slate Creek, and Big Creek.

Up the Swiftwater

Flood -  May 18, 1917 

Event Summary:  Flooding of the Coeur d'Alene River area, establishing a lake elevation of 2137.5 feet above sea level; the normal elevation for Coeur d'Alene Lake is 2126.5, suspending rail and highway transportation for several days. 

University of Idaho Library Collection: Shoshone County Flood Control Project

Wildland Fire - The Big Blowup - 8/21-22, 1910

Event Summary:    $20,875,000.00 - In a brief 48-hour span, fires carried by hurricane-force winds burned more than 3 million acres, killed 85 persons, devastated the eastern part of Wallace and destroyed between 7 and 8 billion board-feet of timber.  The winds, which gave the Big Blowup its horror, came up from the southwest in the Nez Perce National Forest near Elk City.

County Summary: Damage to Wallace, in 1910 dollars, was listed at $1 million; losses to railroads was set at $3 million; damage suffered by mining companies and settlers added another $1 million; and lost timber was valued at $15 million.  The government paid $5.4 million in claims of fire-related injuries alone.  In 2002 dollars, this would equate to $500 million.

The Idaho Statesman, Stephen Pyne's The Year of the Fires, The Big Blowup

Flood -  1894

Event Summary:    The first serious recorded flooding of the Coeur d'Alene River area occurred in 1894, establishing a lake elevation of 2137.5 feet above sea level; the normal elevation for Coeur d'Alene Lake is 2126.5.

County Summary:

University of Idaho Library Collection: Shoshone County Flood Control Project

Identified Hazards ( Most likely to occur & greatest impact)

Other Issues