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Team coverageThis wet weather is a nice break from the recent heat, but it's causing concern in some areas. The Provo River is just below flood stage, and people in Woodland are keeping a close eye on the river.
There has been some light snowfall throughout much of the day, but the river that runs through Woodland is starting to make some people service nervous. But experts say there's no reason for residents in this area to panic just yet.
In Woodland, the Provo River is running high. "The winters have been so lame the last several years that we've forgotten what it looks like," said resident Tom Clyde.
Some residents say it's the highest they've seen in years. There are fences knocked down and water is cutting under roads.
A private bridge is inches away from some serious damage. "We just want to watch the bridges and watch the flow in the river and see what's happening," said Jim Baird, hydraulic engineer with the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT).
Baird is taking pictures of the river to assess the water flow and the flood risk. "I think the people in the area are quite familiar with the river and probably know what to watch for, probably better than I do, but just watch the river and their property," he said.
Roads Superintendent Tim Richins has also been running around checking bridges. "We don't usually have a lot of troubles unless we get some stuff to hang up on some the bridges," he said.
Baird believes the river has peaked for now, but precautions are still underway. Some people are preparing sandbags, and front loaders are dumping boulders alongside roads to protect them from high water. But overall, residents are confident they're in no real danger. "Biggest concern is your septic system doesn't work very well," Clyde laughed.
Experts say the snow falling in the area is actually good news because the cooler temperatures slow down the runoff process. They expect, unless we have some major downpour or storms that roll through here into the evening, the water levels in the river are going to start to go down through out the course.
E-mail: wjohnson@ksl.com
E-mail: rjeppesen@ksl.com
