Utah Lake is no exception, but there have been substantial flood control improvements since the heavy 1983 flooding season. Kim Wells was appointed as the communications director for the Department of Natural Resources in August 2021. Comparing a 100-year flood to 2023 conditions. That includes over by the massive catch basins; Stewart said the pond was already dredged a bit and crews will keep equipment nearby this spring so they can clear the basins as soon as possible once the runoff begins in earnest. Flooding Estimated read time: 7-8 Still, Utah remained apart with a dominant religion, which often dictated politics and individual conscience. Flooding The peak discharges and continued high flows damaged homes, highways, and drainage canals. Salt Lake City emergency manager Richard Boden says sandbags are most beneficial to people in the floodplain areas. That year saw extensive flooding across the state, with some of Salt Lake Citys roadways looking more like a river than a street. Later this week Utah marks the 40th anniversary of the worst floods on record, Currently, were still in pretty good shape, Terry said Monday. 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The region's 1983 snowpack didn't peak until very late in the season, reaching 27.9 inches on May 20. He said the countys reservoirs are already at capacity and letting out as much water as possible to make room for the moisture coming down from the mountains and the sky. And while youre here,subscribeand get six issues ofSalt Lakemagazine, your guide to the best of life in Utah. The catch basins were the first of several infrastructure projects that the city put in place after spring snowpack runoff caused severe flooding in 1983. The division is tracking the conditions and clearing out as much debris as it can, she adds. Ferry formerly worked for Zions Bank. Hasenyager started her career with Water Resources in 2007 after graduating from the University of Utah with both a bachelors degree and a masters degree in civil engineering. In May of that year, many areas were at least at severe wet levels, with some venturing into extreme wet and even the highest level of exceptional wet.When the rapid melting occurred in 1983, the saturated soil could not contain the extra water. (Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune) State Street stacked with sandbags during the late May flooding of 1983. Utah was not in a drought in 1983 and hadnt been for multiple years. swept away in a flash flood while hiking The Narrows. 1983 Temperatures spiked, and flooding resulted. Shazelle Terry, assistant general manager for the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District, said this spring has been colder than most, and mid-April will likely be the time frame where much of the spring runoff takes place. As fast as water is moving at the moment, most of the region's record snowpack is still up in the mountains. Prior to joining DNR, Boudreau was the information technology director for the Utah Department of Corrections. Folks around during that time remember filling sandbags to help stop the Current long-range forecasts indicate a slightly higher probability of below-normal temperatures over the rest of spring, which could help reduce the chance of an immediate melt like what happened in late May 1983. Baza is a registered professional engineer in Utah and holds Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in petroleum engineering from Stanford University. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Snowpack peaked at 30 inches of snow water equivalent this year versus 12 inches last year (15.8 inches is the statewide average peak). He also served many years on the Davis County Search and Rescue Team. SALT LAKE CITY Jesse Stewart points to a small tower-like concrete structure sticking out of a pond behind him Monday morning. This is not to say that streams and rivers could not go over their banks and cause damage, but the odds of it reaching the levels of 1983 are infinitesimally low with current conditions. He has also served as the divisions legislative liaison from 2009-2019. Extent of spring flooding in Utah still unknown as May Do I expect to see something like 83? , rockslides, slumps, and erosion that may create hazards. The east-west railroad brought an influx of laborers who would add diversity to the mix, and Utahs admission to the United States, in 1896, brought even more changes. After temperatures suddenly rose In May of that year, many areas were at least at severe wet levels, with some venturing into In fact, Septembers once-in-a-century flood turned out to be only a bath. Reinforcing and increasing the capacity of the infrastructure that actually carries the water from the watershed down through the valley and intro the Great Salt Lake," said Salt Lake County Emergency Management Director Clint Mecham. They also have sent messages to community members warning of flood risk and are advising hikers to stay away from flood-prone areas where rushing water creates pop-up waterfalls. As of Monday afternoon, only 0.3 inches of water have melted in the Provo-Utah Lake-Jordan snowpack basin since Friday. Photo Gallery: Remembering the floods of 1983 | KUTV