Ms. Darr, 43, said that she was thinking about commuting to nearby towns where she could take up her former profession as a nurse. Her husband, she added, operated heavy equipment, and hoped that he might be able to earn some money assisting with recovery efforts.
Anna Holloway, 45, runs a bookstore and cafe in Gardiner. She said that her business had been closed on Tuesday afternoon by the health department, because of the lack of clean water.
Previously, Ms. Holloway said, she and her colleagues had been hauling water in 10-gallon jugs from a nearby well, and using disposable plates to cut back on washing dishes, so that they could remain open.
“We already have a town of stranded people, the last thing you want is a town of stranded people with no coffee in the morning,” Ms. Holloway said, adding that while she had been trying to remain optimistic, she believed that the flooding spelled the end of this year’s tourist season for the town.
Unfortunately, she added, “without Yellowstone, there’s no reason for people to come to Gardiner.”
She said that she had told her 11 employees she would try to help them find jobs elsewhere, and in the meantime, would either operate her business solo, or leave town for the summer to find another job. “My business is my job,” Ms. Holloway said. “I’m not going to be able to pay my bills.”
Other businesses were less accommodating, workers said.
“They just fired us all,” said Madeline Arsola, 30, who works for a hotel in the town that she said told several of its employees on Tuesday that they would no longer have jobs.
