Prepare for Flooding in Rich County

Bryce Nielson, Rich County Emergency Manager

It is almost April and it is still snowing.  It has been a long winter with no breaks.  This reminds me of the 2011 and 2017 flooding events.  There is no way of knowing if this year will be similar.  I do know we need to prepare for whatever occurs.

Some of the questions that need to be addressed include where and to what extent flooding is occurring.  Will the response be made by the County or the municipalities?  How do the Fire Districts coordinate with the County and Towns?  To what extent will it be the private property owner’s responsibility?  How are the volunteers organized and deployed? Where will cost of the response and clean-up come from?  If life or property is at risk all resources will be employed.    

What can someone do to prepare for runoff?  Common sense is best action. Look at your situation and determine the potential of water running into your property and basements.  Remember that homeowner’s insurance will not cover water damage coming in from outside the building.  

What has happened in the past?  Are you in a floodplain associated with waters that run into the Bear River?   Are you below irrigation canals that may overflow if they have snow, ice or too much water running into them?  Have there been any wildfires upstream from you in the past few years where there is no vegetation to hold back runoff?  There may be sheet or areal flooding where the water flows across the landscape.  These are just a few scenarios and only you know best.

Sandbags or trenching is the first line of defense.  There are sandbags available but where they are numbers is not available at this time.  The Rich County Public Works has sand and a bagger that may be employed in preparation and response for flooding.  It is much better to do it before than when the water is running.  Make sure all the culverts are clear, your sump pumps are operational, and you have a backup plan if the worst occurs.  Consideration should also be made for livestock that may be in pastures that are covered with water.

If serious flooding occurs contact Rich County dispatch and assess them of your conditions and threats.  The appropriate agencies will respond as soon as they can.  Do not put you or your family in a life-threatening situation like driving through water or on unsafe roads and bridges.  Rich County has been through flooding before and we will make it again.  Just try to learn from the past and take proactive actions now.