Speed of spring melting is key factor for potential flooding

March 07-- Mar. 7--With growing snow piles comes apprehension about flooding.

Brown County Emergency Management Director Scott Meints said the potential for flooding will depend on:

* How much additional snow falls.

* How quickly it all melts.

* How much spring rain there is.

* If there are issues with ice jams on rivers preventing the flow of water.

Meints said the spring flood outlook now shows some flooding is possible on the Elm River and James River, but it's nothing that has him immediately concerned.

That outlook, though, doesn't take into account the most recent snow or snow that's yet to come.

"Are we watching it? Absolutely. Are we going down that path? Absolutely. Am I completely worried right now? No," Meints said.

James Telken, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Aberdeen, said Aberdeen has an above average chance of flooding this spring. The speed of the snow melt and the amount of spring precipitation will both be factors, he said.

One thing in Aberdeen's favor is that Richmond Lake, Sand Lake and other bodies of water have had capacity to take on more water, Meints said.

He said he'd like to see a spring during which the snow slowly melts. Significant snowfall in March and a quick melt could cause problems.

Severe flooding in Aberdeen and Brown County in 2007 was from rain, not snowmelt, said Aberdeen Public Works Director Robin Bobzien. Still, he said, the city is more prepared today to handle excess water.

About a half-dozen holding ponds have been built in recent years, he said, which has increased the city's ability to hold water and meter it through the city's system, if needed. The city has also installed more pumps, and generators are available to keep lift stations going in case of power failures.

Bobzien said he feels the city is in the best position it can be.

"There's no guarantee," he said. "Every situation is different, but you have to go with the flow and make adjustments as you go."

More snow coming

Forecasts are predicting the next round of snow on Saturday. Telken said Aberdeen could see 6 inches or more of higher- moisture snow. The storm, he said, will hit parts of the Dakotas and Minnesota.

"It's still early to put actual totals out there," he said. "There's a good chance you could see 6-plus inches the further east you go."

There's also a chance for another storm Tuesday, Telken said, but some weather prediction models are showing that system going south or east.

Narrow streets

Aberdeen drivers have certainly noticed that streets have gotten narrower with each snowfall. That's probably most visible south of Sixth Avenue Southeast around Northern State University where already narrow streets are even narrower, Bobzien said.

Aberdeen Police Department Capt. Jay Tobin said the narrowing of streets due to snow buildup isn't unique to this year.

While there are places where there's room for only one lane of traffic in between vehicles parked on either side of the street, Tobin said the city hasn't historically restricted parking. Drivers simply need to be aware that streets are narrower and take precautions. If possible, he said, residents should stagger parking so vehicles aren't directly across from each other.

City crews are working to alleviate some of the congestion by cutting back snow on streets in the neighborhood of the Northern State University Barnett Center in advance of next week's State B boys basketball tournament, Bobzien said. That work will continue through the week.

"We're doing what we can to make narrow roads wider," he said. "Our primary function is to make sure safety vehicles can get through when needed."

If Aberdeen Fire & Rescue or the police department is concerned about access on a particular street, that's where the street department will focus its efforts.

Bobzien said residents are encouraged to park as close to the edge of streets as possible.

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Deep snow covers the ground and the bleachers at the Manor Park softball field. American News photo by John Davis

American News photo by John Davis taken 2/28/2019

Preparation

While Aberdeen has received more than 54 inches of snow this winter, according to the National Weather Service, Bobzien said it has been mostly lighter, low- moisture snow. Total precipitation on the ground is equivalent to about 4 inches of rain, he said.

That's considerably less than the amount of rain that fell in Brown County May 5 and 6, 2017, according to NWS data:

* Groton: 10.74 inches.

* Columbia: 10.19 inches.

* Aberdeen: 9 inches.

According to the NWS, roughly 75 percent of homes in Aberdeen had at least some water in the basement as a result of the subsequent flooding.

Bobzien said water will pool up if this winter's snow starts melting fast. And high-moisture snow has the potential to add a tenth of an inch of precipitation to the current totals with every inch of new snow.

Meints and Bobzien said residents can do a few things to get ready for spring:

* Check to make sure sump pumps are working.

* Keep an eye on ice building up on or near storm drains.

* Stock up on sand bags if flooding is a concern.

* Cut a path in the snow to direct snowmelt away from the house.

Peggi Badten, superintendent at the city's Water Reclamation Plant, said 2019 will be the first real test of the system since improvements were made to the storm water system. They included the replacement of the primary storm drain along South Kline Street.

The drain, which is about 90 inches in diameter, was identified as a major source of water infiltration. That led to a multi-year plan to replace the pipe, surrounding infrastructure and street.

Badten said she's not anticipating issues. But, she said, it all depends on how fast the snow melts.

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