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LRTC Emergency Preparedness Series
* Special Feature *
Are You Ready for the Flood?
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Updated April 29, 2017
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Webmaster's note: This feature was produced in anticipation of the impacts of exceptional snowpack runoff during the summer of 2017. A combination of favorable weather (short periods of warm weather followed by cooler weather) and exceptional reservoir management kept damage to a relative minimum. However another similar winter has been forecast for 2017/18. As a result this document will remain active, and be edited as may be appropriate.
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There is snow in the Eastern Sierras - lots of it!
The snow pack contains over 500 billion gallons of water.
Some 440 billion gallons are expected to flow into the Carson and Walker rivers, much more than than the reservoirs and rivers can handle. There will be flooding. How much and how long will depend on the weather: how quickly the snow melts from late spring and summer heat and if a warm rain event accelerates the rate of melt. |
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State, tribal and local agencies are preparing as best they can, but we can expect an unprecedented significant event.
- Some areas that have never flooded before may flood.
- Flooding could last for several weeks.
- Responder resources will be spread thin.
- Electric power may be interrupted, affecting wells, stores, gas stations, etc.
- Food, drinking water, gasoline and other supplies could be in short supply.
- Some communities may become isolated as roads and bridges become impassable.
- Citizen self-reliance will be more important than ever.
- Elderly citizens may need assistance from family and neighbors.
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For residents in low-lying areas where water could back up, the risks are obvious. However people, animals and businesses on higher ground can also be impacted. Those impacts include utility disruptions, road closures, supply shortages, disruptions in emergency services and issues relating to pests and wildlife. You might not be flooded, but you may need to leave due to potential isolation, lack of food and other supplies and issues that relate to wide-area floods that last weeks rather than hours.
While there is no need to panic, consider the water produced by Hurricane Katrina as your preparation reference. While flooding will likely be confined to specific communities, the impacts could be significant within those communities over long periods.
Rumors tend to proliferate in these types of events. It's best to know before such an event where to get official information that will accurately inform you of your risks and what to expect, whether you should evacuate, and how and where to get essential supplies if you choose to remain in the flood zone.
Information is available.
Here are some useful links that will open in a new tab or window.
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PREPARING BEFORE AN EVENT
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The time to prepare for a serious event is before everyone is scrambling, lines become long, supplies run short and you waste a great deal of time as time runs short.
Some things to consider include:
- Do you have enough food for you, your family and your animals to last through the event?
- Can you preserve your food if electric power is turned off?
- Do you have sufficient medications in the event the pharmacy is closed for several weeks?
- If you are on a well, do you have enough water to last through the event if the power is turned off?
- Do you have sufficient propane if deliveries can't be made, and is your propane tank properly secured?
- If you have large animals are they on sufficiently high ground or should you make plans to move your corrals and animals to a more appropriate location?
- If you work outside the flood zone where roads and bridges may be closed, should you relocate so you can get to your job?
- Do you have your insurance policies, legal papers and other important documents collected in a single location so that you can take them with you for safe keeping if you must evacuate on short notice?
Remember - The river may appear under control during the day, however it takes several hours for water melting from the snow pack on a hot afternoon to reach the valley floor. Oftentimes dangerous water levels arrive late at night and in the early morning before dawn. Prepare so you don't wake up to discover that you are in the middle of an emergency!
(A downloadable copy of this flyer in both English and Spanish can be found
here.
Here are some useful links that will open in a new tab or window.
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Livestock can present particular issues. If they need to be relocated, where and how can they be moved? Is sufficient feed available? Is sufficient water available? Some small plot livestock owners really struggled during the Elko County flood. We want to avoid the same misery in Lyon County.
Here are some issues to consider.
- Appropriate shelter locations may be limited or compromised. Can your animals and portable corrals be relocated to nearby properties that are sufficiently high and accessible?
- Do you have sufficient feed for your animals to potentially last several weeks in the event roadways and bridges are closed?
- Flood waters are typically contaminated and if the power is turned off, wells will not operate without properly sized and properly connected backup generators. Do you have or can you access sufficient clean water to provide to your animals for a prolonged period?
- Flood waters often contain chemicals, animal feces, seepage from septic tanks, farm chemicals and other hazards to people and animals. Do you have a plan to relocate your animals before you, your friends and family, and the animals are exposed to contaminated water?
Here are some useful links that will open in a new tab or window.
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Just because the water has receded does not mean that your home and property are safe to return to. Residents, whether they shelter in place or evacuate, need to understand that public officials are obligated to assess community safety and make reasonable determinations as to the fitness of occupancy of impacted properties and structures. Most residents will be able to "return to normal" more quickly if they cooperate with public safety and inspection personnel. Additionally, these officials can help direct impacted residents to services and agencies that may be able to provide substantial assistance.
These events can be difficult and the effects long-lasting. Understanding what is likely to happen and how to interface with services and agencies that can help can make the recovery process less traumatic.
Here are some useful links that will open in a new tab or window.
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