Salt Lake communities planning ahead to combat spring flooding

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — With spring runoff already underway in certain regions, communities across Salt Lake County are ramping up flood preparations after 2023's flooding issues.

In mid-April 2023, Emigration Creek flooded and threatened homes nearby.

2News spoke with county teams to learn specific steps being taken this spring to avoid any emergency sandbagging this year.

RELATED: Kaysville residents reflect one year after flooding left sinkholes, ravines through street

Molly Martin lives near 1700 South in Sugar House and remembered last year’s spring runoff well.

“I was here the first day they closed the park,” she said.

Martin said she had come to a local park with her dogs when she noticed the flood closures and barricades in that area.

“It was interesting, especially to see the creek down there and how high it got and how powerful it was running.”

Kade Moncur, the division director of Salt Lake County’s flood control team, said he feels the county is prepared for the runoff that has already begun in certain areas, like Emigration Creek.

LAST YEAR'S FLOOD: Emigration Creek under flood warning as waters rise

"There was a lot more low-elevation and mid-elevation snow last year. This year, we're seeing a good amount of runoff from Emigration, but not as many problems,” he said.

Because of large turnouts at community sandbagging events last year, Moncur said the stockpiles are ready if needed.

A trickier problem this year is navigating controlled releases.

“It's a stark difference between 2023 and 2024,” Moncur said. “We had a whole bunch of snow, of course, in '23. We have lots of room in the reservoirs. This year, we don't have as much snow, but we have really no room in the reservoirs.”

MORE: Dramatic video shows extent of flooding in West Virginia

He said the areas impacted by controlled releases will continue to have high water throughout the runoff season.

Moncur said coordination meetings, staged detention basins, and watching for debris and removing it from the waterways are some of the preparation the county is doing to coordinate with cities.

He added that a smart thing for community members to learn is whether they are living in a floodplain.

“Go to our 'Runoff Ready' website at Salt Lake County Flood Control, and you can see if you're in a flood zone," he said.

People living in those high-risk areas can take up to 25 sandbags from the county stockpile to have on hand at their homes, Moncur added.

Officials don’t expect runoff to pick up until around Memorial Day.

___