May, June floods possible

SANDY — Certain sections of Utah are most vulnerable to spring flooding from the snowmelt, according to projections spelled out Tuesday during a meeting of water experts and managers: south of the Uinta Mountains on the eastern side, including the vicinity of Randlett, Uintah County; Coal Creek near Cedar City; and a stretch of the Sevier River from Hatch, Garfield County, going north.

The session was held at the offices of the Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake and Sandy, 3430 E. Danish Road.

The flood predictions were based only on winter snowpack accumulation, emphasized Brian McInerney, hydrologist for the National Weather Service in Salt Lake City. Other flooding could be caused by rain.

"I think it's important, too, that we look at the rainfall," he added.

Rainstorms are not as predictable as the snowpack, which has been accumulating all winter and is subjected to frequent measurement. A sudden downpour could cause flooding besides the snowmelt problems. That happened in late August and early May, when heavy rains hit Cache Valley.

"Really, all rivers and streams in Utah by the end of the week are going to be running very high," McInerney told the Deseret Morning News.

A large accumulation of snow remains in the upper elevations, he added. The snowmelt period should start late this week and continue through mid-June.

McInerney added, "Peak flows will occur in late May and early June," with the levels depending on temperature and precipitation.

Many of the state's reservoirs will fill, said Ed Vidmar of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Some of these are so full that their managers have been releasing unusually high levels of water.

For example, Hyrum Dam has stepped up releases into the Little Bear River from 600 cubic feet per second to 1,200 cfs, according to a bureau statement.

Among the exceptions to the rule that reservoirs should fill are Scofield Reservoir in Carbon County, Soldier Creek Reservoir in Wasatch County and Lost Creek Reservoir in Morgan County.

The heavy runoff in this state will help Lake Powell on the Utah-Arizona border.

"Lake Powell's scheduled to come up 42 feet," Vidmar said.

However, it will remain be- low its capacity level, he said.