As rain battles snow, potential for flooding increases in Carson City; how you can make the streets safer

Tom Gordon of Carson City Public Works unclogs drainages in 2017.
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Some minor flooding was seen throughout Carson City Thursday as an overnight snowstorm was followed by a decent amount of rain throughout the day. 

When this occurs, snow can often act as a barrier similar to sandbags, which creates a wall around roadways and causes rainwater to pond in the center. 

However, according to Deputy Public Works Director Rick Cooley, because it’s been a fairly dry winter, the city is not anticipating any significant flooding issues since the ground and waterways have capacity to store moisture. 

“As the snow melts and rain continues through Friday, there is potential for localized flooding due to drains being clogged with ice and/or debris,” he added. 

He said Public Works has crews responding to localized flooding and clearing drain inlets as needed. 

Residents are able to help decrease the potential for localized flooding by making sure water is able to reach storm drains. 

“Citizens can help by shoveling snow onto their property and not into the street,” Cooley said. “Shoveling snow into the street prevents the street from draining properly. Also, if someone sees a drain near their property that is covered in ice and/or debris please clear the blockage if it is safe to do so.”

While Public Works does what they can to mitigate flooding that they are aware of, they can’t be everywhere at once and will be able to make a bigger impact if residents report flooding if they come across it. 

Cooley said flooding can have its own dangers, and said residents should avoid the water if possible. 

“If a citizen comes upon a road that is flooded, do not attempt to cross as it is unknown what the road conditions are below the water surface,” he said. 

He urged residents to call Public Works at  (775) 887-2355 “so that we can investigate the cause and take action if we are not already aware of the situation.”

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