SALT LAKE CITY — Utah’s snowpack is high so far this spring, with numbers across the state ranging from 114% of normal in southwest Utah to 156% of normal in the Escalante area. Depending on how quickly all that snow melts, there could be flooding in many parts of Utah.
March is Flood Safety Awareness Month and time to look ahead and do what needs to be done to prepare.
Last year, in the middle of April, the state stood at 225% of average with record-breaking snowfall. This year with a good snowpack, we currently stand at 125% of average.
However, with the soil being saturated and projections that many reservoirs will be at capacity, the Utah Division of Emergency Management wants us all to take the month of March to be more aware and better prepared.
WATCH: Flooding turns backyards into swamps in Weber County
Here are some of their recommendations:
- KNOW YOUR RISK - Is your home in a floodplain? A helpful tool online from FEMA allows you to enter your own address and it will give you the flood risk for your area.
- SIGN UP FOR NOTIFICATIONS - Specifically, keep up with the latest river and weather forecasts.
- PREPARE YOUR HOME - As we start doing spring clean up, make sure you clear away debris from your rain and street gutters.
Also be aware of storm drains close by to make sure they are free of excess debris.
READ: Utah marks 40th anniversary of dramatic 1983 flooding destruction
An extra measure of flood protection would be considering getting a separate flood insurance policy.
Dan Sorensen, principal of the Granite Insurance Agency has the following advice for homeowners:
“If you have a high risk of surface flooding, then you may want to consider getting a flood policy,” he said. “Typically, if you do have a high risk of surface flooding, you will be required by your mortgage if you have a mortgage to get a flood policy.”
With last year's potential flooding problems from spring runoff, many residents purchased flood insurance and then canceled their policies after the peak of the runoff.
Sorensen warns against doing that.
“Insurance companies definitely do not want to write seasonal flood policies, they need that annual premium to spread that risk out,” he said. “That policy they want, you can cancel, they just won't give you the money back.”
