Local Emergency Declared After Canal Failure Washes Our Grant County Road

There's a local state of emergency in a portion of Grant County, where a road is closed after being washed away by an irrigation canal failure.

Frenchman Hills Road West about two miles west of Dodson Road South is completely washed away, and the breach has carved a wide path through land below.

The Grant County Sheriff's Office says it's not known when the road, which is north and east of Royal City, will be reopened.

At least one Grant County utility pole is damaged, but there are no injuries and no reports of damage to homes or other buildings.

The Sheriff's Office says the state of emergency declaration allows the county to forego the normal competitive bidding process to begin repairing the damage to the roadway as well as speed up the construction permit process.