Flooding Closes Numerous Roads Near Moses Lake, Hartline

Nearly two dozen roads in the Upper Columbia Basin have been closed due to flooding.

Persistent rain over the region in recent days has led to the rapid melting of snowfall on many fields which has caused many roadside canals and ditches to overflow their banks.

The hardest hit areas are located just to the north and east of Moses Lake and in the Hartline vicinity in both Grant and Lincoln Counties.

The Grant County Public Works Department is reporting that the following roads are currently closed due to flooding or issues related to instability from standing water and runoff:

- Road 5-NE between Road U-NE and Road W-NE
- Road 6-NE between Road S-NE and Road U-NE
- Road 8-NE between Road S-NE and Road U-NE
- Road 10-NE between Road V-NE and Road W-NE
- Road 11-NE between Road S-NE and Road V-NE
- Road 12-NE between Road S-NE and Road V-NE
- Road 37-NE between Road Q-NE and Road R-NE
- Road 44-NE between Road-L NE (L.7-NE) and Road N-NE
- Road 49-NE between Road Q-NE and Road R-NE
- Road L-NE between Road 42-NE and Road 44-NE
- Road N-NE between US-2 and Road 39-NE
- Road P-NE between road 36-NE and Road 39-NE
- Road Q-NE between Road 37-NE and Road 39-NE
- Road Q-NE between Road 48-NE and Road 49-NE
- Road S-NE between Road 10.5-NE and Road 12-NE
- Road T-NE between Road 10-NE and Road 11-NE
- Road U-NE between Road 4-NE and Road 5-NE
- Road V-NE between Road 1-NE and Road 2-NE
- Road V-NE between Road 6-NE and Road 9-NE

Motorists are being advised to heed all closure signs and not drive through areas where heavy amounts of standing water are present.

The National Weather Service office in Spokane says rainfall totals have only been slightly above average during the flooding, but the ground is still frozen from recent cold temperatures which is preventing the absorption of rain and leading to runoff.

The local road closures come in the wake of temporary shutdowns that affected U.S. Highway 2 and State Route 231 in the areas of Davenport, Edwall, and Bluestem on Sunday due to flooding.

Meteorologists and Public Works crews say the flooding impacts are expected to improve as the week continues with drier conditions and warmer temperatures.