OWYHEE COUNTY, Idaho — State Highway 78 was closed for nearly 24 hours Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, June 13 and 14, near the junction with Highway 45 in Owyhee County because of flooding on the road.
The highway was closed northwest of Murphy just after 6 p.m. Tuesday. An Owyhee County dispatcher said Wednesday morning that a thunderstorm brought heavy rain and flooding. County officials said in a Facebook post from Tuesday night that water and mud was over the road at milepost 28, and that the road was impassible.
ITD was working to get the highway open again Wednesday afternoon. Owyhee County posted that it reopened in both directions at 4:55 p.m. Wednesday.
Video from Tuesday evening posted on Facebook by the Owyhee County Historical Museum showed the highway being completely washed out.
"A small, normally dry creek bed became a roaring current around 5:30 p.m. as a massive thunderstorm moved across the Snake River Plain just outside of Murphy. Highway 78 is currently closed until morning, when an evaluation can be made," the museum's post stated. The museum was closed Wednesday because of the damage to the road.
The Owyhee County Courthouse in Murphy was also closed Wednesday. It reopened Thursday.
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