By Carol Lynn
Humboldt County Emergency Manager
Mother Nature has a way of keeping us on our toes. This winter has been no different. While we have not experienced the amount of snowfall that our neighboring counties have, we have felt some impact as demonstrated in the image below:
I am writing to keep all of us on our toes and to begin to prepare for the upcoming Spring Thaw. So far Nevada will have over $20 million in damage from the Atmospheric River events that have already occurred. There will be 1.1 million acre feet of water headed to Fallon once the snow melts. Additionally, Elko hasn’t even started melting and the last photo received from Lee Cabaniss, Elko County Emergency Manager, shows snow to the roof of the bathrooms at Ruby Mountain’s lowest elevation.
While I stated earlier that we had not experienced the abundant snowfall, we will definitely experience some impacts from the snowmelt. Back in 2017, irrigation and spring thaw began in February, but we have not seen that yet and it is now April. Driving around the County gives evidence that our waterways are running full and fast, but not at flood stage anywhere, yet. One positive is that our ground has been dry because of the drought over the past few years and it will absorb some of the water, but not all.
That brings us to the question – what can we do about it? Obviously, there are things we can’t change: weather, temperatures, snowmelt, etc., but there are things we can. We can change how we prepare for the event. At the County level, we are working with Nevada Department of Emergency Management, the City of Winnemucca, and other partners to plan for any advance planning. Individuals, especially those living or working in flood prone areas, should know your flood risk, take a household inventory with pictures, and store your important documents prior to any flooding. In addition, there are actions that take more work, but will garner large benefits; elevate and anchor utilities, clear debris from gutters and runoff ditches, and elevate or move your furniture.
More information about actions to take before, during, and after flooding can be found in these resources: Smartphone app – Stay Ready Humboldt County; Facebook – Nevada Division of Emergency Management Homeland Security; Website - Floods – Ready.gov.
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The information offered in this column is provided by Humboldt County Emergency Manager Carol Lynn and is intended for informational purposes only. If you have specific concerns or encounter a situation which requires professional guidance or intervention, please reach out to the appropriate agency; in the event of an emergency, always call 9-1-1. For the most up-to-date emergency services information, please download “Stay Ready Humboldt County,” a free mobile device application that is available on both Apple and Android smartphones. To contact the Humboldt County Emergency Manager, please call (775) 375-3195, or email carol.lynn@humboldtcountynv.gov.