Should I be Worried About Rising Water Tables?

Utah Lake, the Great Salt Lake, Willard Bay, creeks from all the Wasatch Front canyons, and the Jordan River are all close to the water table. If you live near one of those bodies of water, it’s worth double-checking the water table maps for your area.

The Utah Department of Environmental Quality has mapped out the water tables in several counties, click here to check out yours. You can also see a more detailed flood area map from the Federal Emergency Management Agency or FEMA. Search your city and state, then click “Go to NFHL Viewer” and zoom in a couple of times.

The last decade of drought has caused some artificially low water table readings. But with all the rain and snow we've had this year, the soil is coming back to the normal water table level. Continued rain and snow, plus spring run-off will bring the water levels even higher. The warmer it gets, the more the water table could affect homes in these areas.

Many cities are filling sandbags in anticipation of flooding issues. If you're concerned about your home and think you might need some, contact your city office. In the spring of 1983, thousands of residents headed downtown to pile sandbags on the sides of State Street to protect businesses and homes. This state is still famous for its neighborly attitude. Helping each other out in a crisis is what we do in Utah.

The good news is, experts are hoping for a spring with slowly changing temperatures and gradual melting snow. But if the opposite happens, many cities are preparing in case the weather warms up quickly. Since the 1980s, Utah has improved storm drains, reservoir management, and systems of monitoring (Salt Lake Tribune). All of which will help reduce flooding this spring.