Experts advise residents how to prepare
By Hayden Seder
Authorities from every city across Blaine County are doing all they can, they say, to prepare residents for the impending flooding problem this spring. After a long winter of heavy snow and the many problems it created, the worst is—possibly—still to come, keeping officials on high alert over the following days and weeks.
“Flooding can happen at any time,” said Brian Yeager, City of Hailey Public Works director. “This past weekend we were under a Flood Advisory for most of the county.”
History of High Water
With warm spring temperatures comes melting snow and the likelihood of extreme flooding, similar to what was seen both last spring and the year before throughout the Wood River Valley. Last year at this time saw the flooding of Woodside. But all flood zones in the Valley need to be ready.
“Floodwaters can come from multiple sources: river overflow, river diversion from obstructions like avalanches, groundwater rising and snowmelt runoff,” Yeager warned.
Perhaps the most memorable recent local flooding was the high water experienced in Hailey in the spring of 2017. This year’s snow level was similar to 2017. Numerous homes in neighborhoods of Hailey like Della View were under emergency evacuation.
Last spring, numerous homes in West Ketchum neighborhoods and others neighboring the river also had flooding problems, making the streets undrivable and the purchase of sandbags a necessity.
Proper Preparation
According to a press release from the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office, a community meeting to discuss flood preparations will take place Thursday, April 4, at the Community Campus in Hailey. The meeting will discuss proper sandbag and bladder placement, Code Red notifications (the county-wide emergency alert system), and evacuation procedures.
The City of Hailey website has numerous flooding resources for residents, such as where emergency sandbags will be available, tips on evacuating, what disaster supplies to have assembled, and how to protect your property.
All residents in Blaine County, regardless of city, are advised to sign up for the Code Red alert system, which sends emergency communications via cellphone, landline, text message, email or social media. Sign up at public.coderedweb.com.
Aside from signing up for alerts, Yeager recommends residents living in flood-prone areas get ready now by making sure all valuables are in safe areas, that utilities inside homes are out of areas that can be impacted by rising waters, and that flood insurance is purchased before flooding.
To prepare, the City of Hailey has been working to ensure all critical infrastructure is protected and that all city employees are prepared in case there is extended flooding. The city has been working with Blaine County Disaster Services in coordinating the community flood preparedness meeting.
The City of Ketchum’s website also has a flood preparedness section advising residents to contact the Planning and Building Department to determine if they live in an area prone to flooding. Online advice on insuring for flooding, protecting yourself by signing up for the Code Red alert system and protecting your property is also available.
Sun Valley has been actively planning for potential flooding and working to reduce risks, according to Sun Valley Fire Chief Taan Robrahn. Additional concerns are a rain or snow event, which last year led to sheet flooding, where a sheet of unconfined floodwater moves down a slope.
Robrahn is directing people to the Local Emergency Planning Committee website that has basic flood safety tips, things to know before a flood, steps to take during a flood and what to do after the flood. Sun Valley’s website also has resources on basic flood safety and tips, including how to place sandbags, information on flood insurance, building your emergency preparedness kit and more.
“The city recently had an all-department flood planning meeting to ensure all departments were prepared and understood their responsibilities,” Robrahn said.
In addition to participating in the Code Red alert system like the rest of the county, the City of Bellevue has added content to its website with a section on emergency preparedness in the form of building a survival kit, links to FEMA, the CDC, and The Disaster Center for more information and detailed information on the city’s emergency operation plan in case of flood.