Warmer weather means melting snow, and in preparation for that the city of Fort St. John has begun taking measures to counteract the increase in water.
鈥淲e鈥檝e had a protracted thaw, and that鈥檚 allowed us to open up the catch basins already,鈥 said Victor Shopland, Fort St. John鈥檚 director of infrastructure. 鈥淚n many ways, we鈥檙e prepared because we鈥檝e done a lot of the pre-work based on what we鈥檝e already experienced this spring.鈥
The city tries to address problems as they arise. "We鈥檝e had a lot more snow, but we鈥檝e also had quite a bit of melt over the past month, so things are positive,鈥 he said.
There鈥檚 plenty more to melt, and with temperatures projected to be on the rise in the coming week, 鈥渨ater will start to flow,鈥 he said.
鈥淚f you ask me this question next week, well, you won鈥檛 have to ask me,鈥 responded Chuck McDowell, a local plumber, when asked about the severity of residential flooding at this time of the year.
鈥淵ou saw it melting when it was -10 C outside, so you can imagine what it鈥檚 going to look like when it鈥檚 plus-10 C. We鈥檙e going to have water running like crazy.鈥
Shopland said that the city tries to be prepared in the event of any complications.
鈥淚f there are any issues that arise because of a frozen catch basin still, or some that have refrozen because of the cold we鈥檝e had, then the crews will be out with the steam trucks,鈥 he said.
Shopland asked residents to inform the city of any excessive or persistent puddles.
So far, he said, there have been no actual instances of flooding reported to the city.
But when the deluge comes, McDowell said, despite measures taken by the city over the past several years, almost no amount of preparation is enough.
鈥淭here鈥檚 only so much you can do, right? Things are going to get overwhelmed,鈥 he said. 鈥淪tuff is still frozen underground.鈥
The expert advised that residents could do a couple of things to prevent extra damage to their homes: get the snow away from their siding, and make sure their backwater valves 鈥 the valves that stop sewage from backing up into the house聽 are working properly.
鈥淭he big thing that鈥檚 going to happen is storm sewers and such are going to get overwhelmed ... every year that happens," McDowell said. "That鈥檚 just about all you can do right now. Just make sure your backwater valves are working, and hope nature takes its time.鈥