OUTAGAMIE COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) – As temperatures are predicted to rise into this weekend, concerns over melting snow causing flooding are also beginning to rise across the area.
“Obviously, Mother Nature you can’t control – so you have to be as prepared as you can ahead of time,” says Outagamie County Deputy Director of Emergency Management Paula Rieder.
Warmer temperatures and spring are around the corner, and that also means melting snow has to go somewhere. That’s why the county is communicating with municipalities to get ahead of any potential flooding.
“I’m trying to get ahead of the water already becoming an issue. So that’s why we started this communication now – and we could’ve probably done it even sooner. But we don’t want to wait until the water is already becoming a problem before we decide to start reacting to it,” Rieder says, “Talking about it ahead of time to get them to start thinking about it is key in this kind of instance because you don’t know when it’s going to happen.”
That’s why the county has the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) available to assist with filling sandbags if the need arises.
“They know their areas better than we do at the county level, so if they start seeing issues then they can reach out to us and we can provide the resources they might need,” Rieder says, “Trying to get these sandbags deployed so that they’re available. Getting them filled so that they can easily be set out prior to there being an actual incident where it’s affecting homes or businesses or even streets or roadways.”
The Wolf River in Shiocton often goes over its banks, but the community tends to be well-prepared for this time of year. But any low-lying areas could also see problems with a wet spring or fast melt.
“It’s mostly Shiocton in our county, but if we would have a really wet spring or fast snowmelt – then we may see other areas that we’ve never really identified before,” Rieder tells WTAQ News, “Clearing your gutters, clearing out space around your home so the water isn’t draining right up against your foundation, getting heavy snow off of roofs, making sure your downspouts are clear of snow and ice so there is space for this water to flow freely.”
It’s also recommended to double-check whether your sump pump is in proper working order and make sure ditches are clear of debris.
March 16th-20th is Flood Awareness Week in Wisconsin. Anyone with questions or concerns about how to protect their home from potential flooding this spring can contact Outagamie County Emergency Management.
