Summit County Citizens Voice

As of May 31, the Colorado Water Conservation Board put Summit County into a flood advisory zone where minor flooding is expected. Click on the map to visit the CWCB's flood info page.

Mid-week warmup is expected to raise river levels’ low-lying areas at risk for flooding

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — With Summit County already in a flood advisory zone identified by the Colorado Water Conservation Board, local officials are saying that now is the time for sand-bagging.

“Effects of the runoff are already being reported around the county,” said Sheriff John Minor. “We’re seeing rising waters in those low-lying areas that typically experience springtime flooding, like the Lakeview Meadows and South Forty subdivisions.”

The statewide snowpack is about 250 percent of normal for this time of year, and warmer weather the next few days could send streamflows spiking to levels not seen in many years.

“We haven’t seen these conditions since 1984, 1995 or 1996, all years where we saw significant flooding issues throughout the county,” said county emergency manager Joel Cochran. Just because your property hasn’t experienced flooding before, don’t automatically assume you’ll stay dry this year, Cochran said.

As of Tuesday afternoon, some streams just north of Summit County were already at near-flood levels, with the Colorado River, Troublesome Creek, Muddy Creek and Willow Creek all flowing at, or just above, bank-full levels.

“Considerable inundation of low-lying areas can be expected in and around Kremmling … and also along Troublsome, Muddy and Willow creeks,” the National Weather Service wrote in its May 31 flood advisory.

Residents with homes along rivers and creeks should inspect their property for encroaching water. People who have previously experienced flooding should take precautions now, before water levels rise any further.  Residents should also clean and maintain culverts on their property and report any debris blockages, especially in rivers and creeks, to the appropriate road and bridge or public works departments.

Stay tuned for public advisories, watches or warnings, which will contain specific information about river flow levels and actions the public should take. These messages are broadcast by local radio stations, and the county will also utilize the reverse-911 telephone and SCAlert community notification systems to keep the public informed.

The Summit County High Water Preparedness brochure is available on the county website at http://www.co.summit.co.us and contains phone numbers to report high water problems as well as sandbag/sand pile locations.  To sign up for the SCAlert emergency notification system, visit www.scalert.org.

Filed under: climate and weather, Colorado, flooding, La Niña, seasons, Summit County Colorado, Summit County news, Summit County snow and weather Tagged: | Colorado flooding, Colorado news, Colorado River, National Weather Service, runoff, snowmelt, Summit County flooding, Summit County News, weather