Gordon Activates National Guard to Help With Flooding in Lingle

Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon announced Friday afternoon that he has mobilized the National Guard and multiple state agencies to help with flooding that is occurring as a result of a breach in the Interstate Canal west of Lingle.

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• WATCH: Video Shows Bird's-Eye View of Canal Breach Near Lingle; Evacuations Underway
• UPDATE: Flash Flood Emergency Issued for Lingle Area Due to Canal Breach

Gordon issued the following statement:

I want to thank our state agencies for their quick response to this concerning situation and I praise them for their hard work and dedication to help minimize the impact on our citizens and communities there. Thanks to the quick and competent response from our state agencies, including the Wyoming Office of Homeland Security and the State Engineer’s Office, we were able to rapidly respond to the situation.

At my request, Secretary of State Buchanan is on the ground to personally survey the scope of the damage and to ascertain what resources are needed to help the citizens of Goshen County. Secretary Buchanan has reported the local folks are working together to sandbag the canal. As I have said many times before, I am proud of our Wyoming people who do what they do best—helping neighbors.

My office has been in contact with Governor Ricketts of Nebraska, as the majority of the water in the canal flows to our neighbors in Nebraska. We will continue to communicate with Nebraska officials as we work to resolve the issue.

Gordon says water was promptly diverted from the canal at the Whalen Diversion Dam and parts of Lingle were evacuated.

He says early estimates determined that water levels would begin receding around 2 p.m. this afternoon, however, water is expected to continue flowing for the next 12 hours, as the canal was full prior to diversion.