Montana Department of Environmental Quality About Us Permitting & Operator Assistance Public Participation

Flooding Resources

Are You Experiencing Flooding?

Surging rivers and creeks are a regular springtime occurrence in parts of Montana. DEQ provides support and resources for Montanans who are affected by flooding. This page serves as a one-stop-shop for all DEQ information related to flooding.


Public Water & Wastewater System Support

Resources and information for public water systems experiencing emergencies can be found at the link below.

Public Water Supply Emergency, Safety, and Preparedness

Public Water Supply Systems

If you are experiencing or anticipate that you may experience issues related to flooding, please contact DEQ's Public Water Supply Emergency Coordinator for support and guidance related to the security and safety of your public water system.

Wastewater Systems

If you operate a wastewater system that is experiencing flooding related issues, please contact DEQ immediately for information and support.

  • Contact: VACANT (406) 444-5546
Unintentional Discharges of Raw Sewage (Sanitary Sewer Overflow)

An unintentional discharge of raw sewage from a sanitary sewer (sanitary sewer overflow), which does not occur at the designated waste water treatment plant outfall, can seriously endanger public health and contaminate waters, causing serious water quality problems.

Permittees are required to adhere to the following oral and written reporting timelines.

24-Hour Notification

Information must be provided orally to the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) within 24 hours from the time the overflow was discovered. The 24-hour report of noncompliance must be made to the DEQ Water Protection Bureau at (406) 444-5546 or 444 - 6697 or to the state Office of Disaster and Emergency services at (406) 431-0411.

Written Report

A written report must be provided within five days from the time the overflow was discovered. All sanitary sewer overflows, no matter the circumstances or cause, must be reported to DEQ, even if you do not believe a violation has occurred. See the reporting form below for additional information.

 


Environmental Incident Reporting

Unfortunately, depending on the location and extent of the flooding, flood waters can cause additional environmental issues. DEQ is prepared to investigate reports of spills, contamination, or other potential environmental hazards.

Please contact us using the button below if you are aware of environmental issues that may be related to recent flooding.

Report Pollution

 


Additional DEQ Resources

DEQ resources include a flood guide and checklists related to underground storage tanks, emergency guidance related to asbestos-containing materials, information on protecting wells before a flood, information on disinfecting water supplies after a flood, and information on managing septic systems after a flood.

Asbestos Management
Energy Outages

If you are without power or natural gas service, please contact your service provider to report the outage. Links to more information are provided below.

Private Well Water Supplies
Septic Systems
Underground Storage Tanks
Waste Disposal Guidance
Recovery & Reconstruction Support

If you have questions about gravel sources for recovery work, contact DEQ's Opencut Mining Program:

For information about dealing with large woody debris in rivers and streams, review the fact sheet developed by Montana DNRC, FWP, DEQ, and DES.

 


Bank Stabilization, Riprap, and Floodplain Management

Anyone performing bank stabilization must notify the appropriate agencies including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), local conservation district and, if riprap will be installed, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP).

Contacts
USACE Requirements
Montana DNRC Floodplain Management Resources

 


Montana Disaster & Emergency Services Resources


DES Current Situational Awareness Report

 


If you do not find what you are looking for on this page or still have questions, you can always contact us. 

  Contact DEQ