Warm-up may cause high water this weekend
by Teton County Emergency Management
March 9, 2012
JACKSON, WYOMING – The National Weather Service office in Riverton (www.weather.gov/riw) has issued a Hydrologic Outlook for most of Wyoming, including all of Teton County, from Saturday March 10th through Tuesday, March 13th. This Outlook calls for increased snowmelt runoff below 8,000 feet which can cause a rise in waterways, plus break up ice on creeks and cause jams.
Teton County Emergency Management is urging Town and County residents who live in flood-prone areas to use this early Outlook to prepare themselves for this event and the upcoming spring snowmelt. "We likely won’t see any ice jams here in Teton County," says Emergency Management Coordinator Rich Ochs, "but the increased snowmelt, frozen ground, and saturated soil can add up to quick rises in creek levels." Ochs reminds residents that this is a good time to go over individual household flooding plans for the upcoming spring runoff. Items to check include coverage for flooding with your insurance agent, mapping multiple evacuation routes from your neighborhood, your family’s disaster kit inventory, and updates to your family’s emergency communication plan. You can find information on all of these topics on Emergency Management’s webpage at www.tetonwyo.org/em. The public can also view the FEMA flood zone maps by visiting the Emergency Management webpage and clicking the "Natural Hazard Maps" link in the left column.
Local government has resources available to assist property owners who may be facing flooding. Sand and bags will be available through the weekend at the northeast corner of Flat Creek Dr and W Snow King Ave in the rodeo grounds parking lot (adjacent to the recycling bins), and also at the Road & Levee offices at 3190 S Adams Canyon Dr. If town or county residents have questions regarding sandbag availability, please contact Emergency Management at 307-733-9572.
Additionally, the Teton Conservation District is always available to residents for technical assistance, such as emergency flood control projects, erosion control, and storm water runoff issues. "The Conservation District has become an important partner in our local flood-fighting team," says Ochs. He continues, "The District is able to offer their expertise to residents who may have never dealt with flooding before, and get them started on the right foot." Property owners looking to either get ahead of flooding problems or need an assessment for flood fight issues should contact Dan Leemon, Water Resource Specialist with the Teton Conservation District, at 307-413-5264 or dan@tetonconservation.org.
Citizens who witness significant flooding are asked to report it to Teton County Sheriff’s Office dispatch at 733-2331. If there is an immediate threat to life or property, call 9-1-1.
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