From Farmland to Floodland
Gibson Flats’ Battle Against City Water and County Inaction
WRITTEN BY : Gibson Flats Landowner Community Executive Board
Nestled on the southeastern outskirts of Great Falls, Montana, the rural community of Gibson Flats has become a symbol of bureaucratic inertia and environmental mismanagement. For decades, residents have battled chronic flooding caused by stormwater discharge from upstream urban development in Great Falls. What began as a natural drainage issue has escalated into a man-made disaster, compounded by failing infrastructure, legal battles, a devastating 2021 larceny fire, and contentious floodplain designations. Farmers report ruined fields, homeowners face failing septic systems, and the area – once a quiet agricultural haven – now grapples with restrictions that hinder recovery.
This article delves into the history, key events, institutional failures, and calls for reform that define this protracted struggle.
