For stormwater managers in most parts of the country, extreme
weather and larger-than-expected storms bring the risk of flooding. Everyone has
dealt with it at some time; there’s nothing like a flooded neighborhood or an
underwater roadway to focus attention on the stormwater program, and perhaps
highlight some things that could have been planned differently.
For some, though, winter storms bring a different kind of
danger—and a different reason for closing the roads—that most of us never have
to deal with: avalanches. In the Pacific Northwest this week, snow is again in
the forecast. A major mountain highway connecting the eastern and western halves
of Washington state are closed because of the avalanche risk. In Spokane and
other cities, snowplow drivers have been working around the clock for weeks,
including on Christmas and New Year’s Day. Spokane, in just over a month, has
received nearly 70 inches of snow.
In Oregon, a 25-year-record rainfall last week caused
flooding in Portland, and the state has experienced several mudslides, some
caused by the heavy rains and some by snowmelt. Flooding near the coast also
caused highway closures and evacuations. Storms have also caused flooding and
power outages in northern California. We wish all of them a quick and safe
recovery from the storms.