City Officials Warn Citizens to Stay Off Flooded Streets

Following significant rainfall on Tuesday, City of Bismarck officials warn residents to refrain from driving through flooded streets.

Rain amounts have varied throughout Bismarck, with some areas reporting totals of nearly four inches north of the State Capitol grounds, and 2.75 inches in north Bismarck over a short duration of less than an hour.

"The large amount of rainfall Bismarck received today has caused a variety of problems for people throughout Bismarck," said City of Bismarck Public Works Utility Operations Director Michelle Klose. "We are recommending that people do not try to drive through moving or standing water. It can take as little as just a few inches of water to cause a vehicle to lose control on a flooded street or induce an engine stall. We are also asking for your patience with our stormwater systems. This system is designed to handle a certain rain intensity. When the rain has a greater intensity, this causes an overload to the system and the roadways become the conduit to move stormwater."

Burleigh County is assisting Bismarck by starting the Tavis pump station to move water from the city's south drainage ditch to the Missouri River.

More information about the City's stormwater system is available online.