News

Natural springs takes water higher in creek

By Scott Wagar

02/26/2013

Individuals in Bottineau who have driven over the bridges in town have noticed that the water appears high for this time of year, perhaps bringing fears that there might be some flooding this spring.

However, according to Keith Fulsebakke, Bottineau’s city superintendent, flooding should not be a problem this year.

“The springs are running up in the Turtle Mountains. It runs some everyday and then freezes, and then runs some more,” Fulsebakke said. “The springs will run this time of year and will run so far, and then it freezes. Well, the next patch runs over top of that and it freezes again and it just continues that way.

“I don’t think we will have flooding in the spring,” said Fulsebakke, who added that he is keeping a close eye on the situation. “If it keeps building up too bad, I’m just going to have to bust out some of that ice with a backhoe or something and get it flowing again.”

Fulsebakke said that he has noticed over the years that the springs in the Turtle Mountains are appearing further south than what has been seen in the history of the natural flowing springs in the hills.

“At one time we never had trouble with springs because we go in there in the wintertime and clean it out. The last few years, the springs, I think, are slowly working their way south,” he said. “About three years ago, we were doing some work up there near Gail Wondrasek’s house at the end of December. At that time, I went and walked that creek quite a ways up and I could walk right down the creek bed. About three weeks later, the springs had opened up and it was clean past the banks where I had walked earlier.

“There is also some up by Roger Hall on the Town Line,” Fulsebakke said. “They have moved more to the west, too, now, and are starting to run more.”

Each year in the Turtle Mountains, the springs begin to flow in December and run until April or May.

For the present moment in town, the water that has come down from the Turtle Mountains and into Bottineau is freezing in certain parts of the town, causing a back flow.

“It is holding it up a little bit just west of the railroad tracks,” Fulsebakke said. “And, it must slowly work its way down because I’ve always noticed that when I drive down the bridge on the highway there is fresh water down there. It seems to build up and then take off again.”

The city’s superintendent stated that if there were not springs in the hills, there would be no water in Oak Creek during the winter months.

“If it wasn’t for those springs the creek would be dry,” he said.

A positive issue with the springs is that they also assist in filling up the natural wells in the hills which provide water for the city of Bottineau.

“The city wells will run springs, too, it is all hooked into the same stuff,” Fulsebakke said. “We free flow water every year (into the wells) and it seems like it always stays the same.”

With new springs establishing further south in the Turtle Mountains, the city will continue to keep a close eye on its flow through the city to make sure it doesn’t cause any flooding in the springtime.

For now, snowmobilers are asked not to cross the creek to eliminate any dangerous situation due to the presence of water on top and perhaps water flowing underneath the ice.

“Snowmobilers should take caution when thinking about driving over Oak Creek,” Fulsebakke said. “I don’t think they will sink that far, but I sure wouldn’t try it, I would stay off of it.”