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Alex Cabrero Reporting April is just three months away and officials in Brigham City know it. Last April, they were hit with heavy flooding, but this year, they're hoping enough preparation will prevent any problems.
Earlier this week, Brigham City officials voted to spend four and a half million dollars on storm drain improvements. Mix that with canal and creek bank improvements they've already done, and hopefully they'll never have a major flooding problem again.
Box Elder Creek has been running gently next to Linda Kay's house since she moved here.
Linda Kay: “We’ve lived here since 1973.”
But in April, 2005, the creek looked like a river and wasn't gentle at all.
Linda Kay, Brigham City Resident: “I would like to call it a freak accident, but it was more an act of Mother Nature.”
Her home, and several others in Brigham City, were flooded by some of the worst rain and snow melt anyone can remember.
Don TIngey: “IT gave us a little bit of a wake-up call.”
Don Tingey, the city's public information officer, believes if the heavy rains come again, they'll be ready. The city has spent lots of money improving canal and creek banks. Now they're planning on spending millions to improve the storm drainage system and expanding the drainage area, helping ease even the minor flooding that comes every year anyway.
Don Tingey, Brigham City Resident: "We hope we don't have flooding, but we know the rain is coming and the snow is going to melt. We're better prepared this year than we were last."
That's exactly what Kay wanted to hear.
Linda Kay: “I am thrilled at the idea.”
There are still a lot of rocks and dirt in her backyard. Amazingly, she said when city crews came here and first started cleaning up all this mess, it took them 21 dump trucks just to get it out.
Linda Kay: “There were places out there the sand and gravel were literally four feet deep."
Hopefully, though, with the city's plan, this will never happen again.
Linda Kay: “I am really hoping it will do the trick.”
The storm drain utility fee went up two dollars to $5.50 a month to pay for the eight projects. City officials hope to begin the work in the spring and have it done by summer.
