Many parts of Utah are already suffering the sweeping effects of spring runoff and while the Basin has yet to see what is in store, officials continue to urge residents to prepare for the worst. According to Uintah County Emergency Manager Tal Ehlers, the Office of Emergency Management has been in frequent contact with the road departments as well as the Uintah Water Conservancy District and National Weather Service as the group continually monitors conditions around the County. “We are watching the snowpack,” explains Ehlers. “We are going to watch how the new storms affect the snowpack and then comes the point that we look at our temperatures and ask how quickly is it going to warm up?” Ehlers also explained that in speaking with National Weather Service this week it was learned that Duchesne County is still at 190% of what is normal for snowpack while the east side of Uintah County measures at only about 140% and the west side is more like 170% of what is normal. Ehlers also says that he knows of no examples yet of home flooding directly related to spring runoff. While the severity is yet to be seen, all are encouraged to prepare now for the possibility of home and property flooding. Sandbags are for sale at many stores throughout the Basin. Residents are also encouraged to check with their insurance agency to understand their home policy.
