Snowpack raises flood concerns

Hydrologist Brian McInerney recently told Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. the state's water supply looks great for this year. But with above-average snowpack in most Utah mountains right now, McInerney also had a flood warning for the chief executive.

"We have ample volume to cause problems," said McInerney, who works for the National Weather Service in Salt Lake City.

Along the Wasatch Front, some mountain areas are at 140 percent of normal snowpack. Near the Idaho/Utah border, snowpack is normal, but it goes as high as 200 percent in southern Utah. McInerney told the governor that particular areas of concern are the Ogden and Morgan valleys and Park City.

"The governor just wanted to be ready in case worst-case scenarios panned out," McInerney said. Already, he noted, places like Saratoga Springs and Herriman have seen some flooding.

McInerney said that even in lower elevations and foothills, there are two or three times the normal snowpack levels in some locations.

"We're running 140 to 150 percent in our snowpack and the ground is saturated throughout the county," said Washington County Sheriff Kirk Smith. "Gunlock and Enterprise have the potential to be problematic. We're watching and just trying to be ready to go if needed."

Floods in Herriman and Saratoga Springs last weekend were caused by the runoff of melting snow from undeveloped farmers' fields, not from the mountains, city leaders say. With that in mind, similar floods shouldn't happen in those areas once the snow in the valley is gone, said South Jordan city manager Rick Horst.

South Jordan also had torrents of water running where it shouldn't this week — the result of melting snow flowing off of western, undeveloped land owned predominantly by Kennecott Land — but no homes were ever threatened.

Aside from melting snow on the surface of the land, rising groundwater levels might also be a concern later on in the spring, especially for those who live near the Jordan River or on rocky terrain where subterranean water is likely to flow.

Flooding in Eagle Mountain, which has been limited compared with other cities, caused closure of one road near an elementary school. Only a few homeowners have reported property damage, said city administrator John Hendrickson. Homeowners who have unfinished yards run a higher risk of damage because grass, shrubs and trees can help keep water damage to a minimum.