Residents of Vuecrest Drive were surprised this past weekend to see
Donnes Construction dump truck is being loaded with dirt from test holes that are being dug to assess the water seepage from the canal in Billings to residents below.
(Jonathan McNiven Photo)
that their road had been transformed into a small river as a deluge sprung out of the hillside seeping out of the Main Canal, which brings water from Laurel all the way out to Shepherd, that sits atop the Rims overlooking the area. The Billings Bench Water Association shut down the canal to investigate on June 21st and investigated it for four days before issuing a statement on their Facebook page saying that the slope of the canal above Vuecrest is stable and water would be turned on by Monday, July 1st. While the canal itself should be safe for now, residents aren’t so sure about the slope itself. The seepage from the Main Canal has caused problems with the foundations of their homes, and with the ground under their homes shifting they are also worried about the hillside itself shifting. Regarding this, one resident said, “It’s a major safety concern to have citizens living in compromised structures. The safety concern for Billings residents is enormous if there ends up being a landslide and/or a flood from a ditch failure.”
This isn’t a new problem for residents of the area. Last summer a couple Vuecrest residents reported that water seepage and ground movement were damaging the foundation of their house to the Billings Bench Water Association to no avail, and again this last spring when it started again. Residents report foundation walls cracking, caving in, and water coming through, door frames bending, walls separating, and floors and driveways being lifted. One person had to replace the driveway the previous summer because the uplift that year alone was severe enough that they were no longer able to drive into their garage, and many people have been forced to sand off the tops of their doors in order to keep them functional as doorways are pushed out of alignment by the shifting ground. Many insurance claims go unheard because not many home or renter’s insurance providers cover ground movement. Resident Heather Bomb said that “even if a gas line were to break and burn down a house, it would be traced back to the ground pressure and ineligible for coverage. My renter’s insurance will not cover any damage if I incur any personal losses due to this issue.” CLICK HERE TO READ MORE
