Midvale - If spring snowmelt leads to overflowing streams, Salt Lake County says it will be ready.
Standing beside the rock-reinforced banks of Little Cottonwood Creek, Mayor Peter Corroon announced Monday that Utah's most-populous county is prepared for flooding. It has spent more than $2 million on creek improvements, stockpiled 400 tons of rock for reinforcing stream banks and filled 5,000 sandbags and counting.
"We are hoping for the best," Corroon said, "and preparing for the worst."
Last summer, Little Cottonwood Creek surged over its banks, creating a muddy deluge that swamped homes, eroded backyards and forced a sandbagging effort that enlisted an estimated 1,500 volunteers. The cause: a cool spring followed by rapid warming.
It's too early to say whether the county's streams will be able to contain this year's spring runoff. The snowpack is unusually high -- higher than before the 1983 floods -- and the soil is so saturated that officials say it won't absorb much water. The big question is how fast the snow melts.
"The more gradually it warms up, the better shape we'll be in," said Scott Baird, director of county flood control and engineering.
Officials hope for several weeks of 70-degree temperatures beforesummer-like weather arrives.
Until then, the county is focusing on preparation through measures such as these:
- An estimated 5,000 sandbags are sitting on pallets and ready for distribution. Officials plan to have 5,000 more filled by month's end. They also have 100,000 empty bags on hand.
- An inventory of the county's heavy equipment -- such as backhoes and track hoes -- has been completed. Officials also have more than 60 trucks available for hauling.
- A countywide map of flooding "hot spots" has been prepared with information on what heavy equipment would be needed to control an overflow at each site
"We are engaged in being prepared for what may come," said Jeff Graviet, the county's emergency-services coordinator. "We can't control Mother Nature."
Federal funds continue to flow into the county to mend the damage caused by last year's Little Cottonwood Creek flood. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service awarded the county more than $2 million last fall to rebuild stream banks, stabilize slopes, fix flood-damaged properties and repair critical structures along the once-swollen stream.
The federal agency announced last week that it would give the county $1 million more to restore the waterway to its pre-flood condition.
County officials called on residents Monday to help keep the creek flowing during a potentially critical time by not dumping yard trimmings and tree branches into the channel. They also urge homeowners to apply for a free flood-control permit before doing any work along the bank to avoid engineering mishaps that could threaten the creek when waters rise.
Unified Fire Authority Chief Michael Jensen added this bit of optimism:
"Provided that it is a normal spring," he said, "the streambed should be fine."
jstettler@sltrib.com
We're ready for flooding, S.L. County says
Credit: By Jeremiah Stettler The Salt Lake Tribune
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