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Record Snow pack, floods next?

jeeper

jeeper

I live my life 1 dumpster at a time
Location
So Jo, Ut
I was still in the womb, but my Pa worked for staker parsons and the time and delivered a lot of the sand. We’ve got some cool photos of it all. Somewhere.
 
N-Smooth

N-Smooth

Smooth Gang Founding Member
Location
UT
My parents always said the flooding was when I was born (August ‘83) but I can’t find anything to support that. They said they were at the hospital with me during it and everything but maybe they were there for an appt and got it confused. Either way I blame myself for the floods. It was a warning.
 
Stephen

Stephen

Who Dares Wins
Moderator
Location
Never Far From Nowhere
xj_nate said:
My parents always said the flooding was when I was born (August ‘83) but I can’t find anything to support that. They said they were at the hospital with me during it and everything but maybe they were there for an appt and got it confused. Either way I blame myself for the floods. It was a warning.
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Flooding started in the fall of '82, had a big winter like this year, then rapid thawing in April and May '83. Flooding happened all spring, summer, and fall around the state. There was also flooding in '84, but not as extreme.
 
Houndoc

Houndoc

Registered User
Location
Grantsville
johngottfredson said:
In ‘83 they had a really late snowpack/cold spring, with a sudden change to 80* weather. ‘82 was also almost as big of a winter, so soil saturation was maxed out. It was the perfect combo, so the flooding was epic. You see the preparations happening with many reservoirs preemptively draining down so they have surge capacity, which I don’t believe was in place in ‘83.

That said, there could be some water in some houses really easy. The governor said pray for snow, he should have told folks to be more specific in their requests. I feel like this is on him.
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Based on the weather the last week or so I would say that is pretty much the path we are on- cold, wet spring. The ski resorts are at record snow fall levels with another month to go.

The San Juan mountains in Southern CO are at 177% of normal snow pack and they drain into Powell, I think the runoff will make a pretty good dent in Powells level. I don't know that it'll 'save' the lake but it should make a difference.
I am kind of wishing I had booked a Cataract Canyon river trip this spring. Should be a fun year (if they can run, heard the take out is being closed.) Certainly will take years to bring Powell close to full, but this year will bring it up a long ways.

Overall, can't see how we will get through this spring without flooding. Lots of water and a lot of new growth in areas that used to be flood plains or ravines.
 
johngottfredson

johngottfredson

Threat Level Midnight
Location
Alpine
My BIL built a home close to utah lake about 15 years ago. One weirdo on his street built his house up super high with all these steps up to the front door, and was the butt of some jokes in the hood. Until the big winter of 2011 brought the groundwater up and every basement in the neighborhood flooded -except one. Turns out he was the only one to consult the old farmers in the area who remembered high water years. Every basement in the whole development had to install sump pumps. That’s a guaranteed scenario for so many new developments that have gone in during the last few dry years.
 
Mouse

Mouse

Trying to wheel
Supporting Member
Location
West Haven, UT
Definitely will test the new houses, mine included. Our builder told me "I guarantee there will never be water in your basement." To his credit the basement has a full land drain and the basement walls were all coated with sealer. I'm hoping he was right (he has a great reputation, so might not be just bravado). Only a couple of the neighbors have sump pumps (different builders), but the neighborhood required land drains on every house.

In the winter of 18-19, the neighborhood just south of us (built in early 2000s) had multiple houses with water in the basement. Our neighborhood had no problems. We are not in a flood zone, but we are moving things up off the floor in the basement and have put a water detector down there as well (like these: https://www.amazon.com/Govee-Detectors-Wireless-Detector-Sensitive/dp/B07QSFRSJX/ref=sr_1_8?crid=29P8MS0Y392D3&keywords=water+detector&qid=1679955370&sprefix=water+detector,aps,205&sr=8-8)
 
V

Vonski

nothing to see here...
Location
Payson, Utah
johngottfredson said:
Turns out he was the only one to consult the old farmers in the area who remembered high water years.
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I did the same thing, as I’m also fairly close to Utah Lake. Before buying, I talked to an old lady neighbor that was here in ‘83 to know what happened and how bad. Never did flood her house, but she had a bit in a crawl space. Anyway, both her house and mine have no basements and tall foundations, but we may have lake-front property for a while. 😂
 
Cody

Cody

Random Quote Generator
Supporting Member
Location
Gastown
Hmm, this is all making me wonder if I should get a pump for my shelf basement... I don't really live in a low area or particular close to a stream
 
Houndoc

Houndoc

Registered User
Location
Grantsville
xj_nate said:
Nah. I say bring back the drought and stop farming alfalfa.
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My horses would disagree (as I do with the increased hay prices of recent years.)
Although in seriousness we need to transition to crops, including for live stock, with far lower water requirements and technologies that don't waste as much water as a lot of farming does.
 
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