Cache Valley may see more floods this year

LOGAN (AP) — Local emergency officials are predicting there will be an increasing amount of flooding in Cache Valley this year.

"Last year was kind of a dry run for what were going to see this year," said Cache Sheriff's Lt. Matt Bilodeau.

There's more snow in the mountains this year, and it's nearing record levels of snowfall in watersheds for this time of the year.

Traditionally, snow starts melting from watersheds by April 1. When that happens, the valley is typically OK flood-wise, said Brian McInerny, a hydrologist in the National Weather Service's Salt Lake City office. But during the next few days, storms are expected to pile on more snow in the mountains, creating a scary prospect for valley residents who live near a river, canal, estuary or pond.

"Theoretically, if it were to turn 70 to 75 degrees in Logan tomorrow and we were not to have another drop of rain anywhere from here to June, we could be OK," McInerny said. "Chances are that's not going to happen."

McInerny pointed out that even if the snow started melting immediately, it would be June by the time all the snow was gone. By the end of May, temperatures are going to rise to the point where snow will be melting a lot faster than a "safe pace."

"We really needed to start melting the snow on April 1," he said.

In the valley, emergency officials are doing everything they can to help residents prepare for the floods in advance. Last week, more than 200 tons of sand was used at the Country Manor subdivision in Logan to try and keep water from flowing into homes from the Blacksmith Fork River. Other sandbagging efforts are taking place in Nibley and Millville, and likely will in the coming weeks in Richmond, Smithfield and portions of North Logan and Hyde Park.