Quick snow melt created temporary road problems
water mark - High water by Secondary Highway 519 east of Granum last week, due to quickly melting snow. Photo by Lawrence Gleason
By Lawrence Gleason, Local Press Writer
The quick snow melt in the Municipal District of Willow Creek resulted in a two-day overland flood alert, starting the morning of April 16 and ending before noon on April 18.
“We had a couple days where we had water across the road in some places,” said Public Works Superintendent Roy Johnson. “That’s all gone now. It’s left some roads wet and rutty.”
Stavely, Nanton and Granum were most affected.
Johnson said the unusual snowfall accumulations in April, followed by rising temperatures created the problem.
“If we have two feet of snow in the foothills followed by high temperatures for a quick melt there isn’t a culvert in the country that can handle that kind of water.”
Johnson added, “By the end of next week most of this water will be gone.”
Some M.D. roads could not be bladed as they were too wet, following the snow melt, with graders sinking into some roads.
Johnson said that problem is temporary.
“By the end of this week we should be back in the good.”