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Show i 1 4i J . 1 jit. ill' J . Mr - '.,! - 1LHI U 1M. a N " --- i.,;;.r' -;,.v s ' j ' !: A. i v V ' ' y s WATER, WATER. . . 1 The water isn't everywhere. . . yet. But last Sunday it was in several places in roaring quatitites. Runoff water pouring down Mill Creek jumped over banks on 500 South from 600 West to 800 West. Sandbags guided it across the Union Pacific tracks, funneling it from there to the side of 500 South, on down to the D&RG tracks. Many men were called from church services to help with the work. Water came from the heavy snow pack, melting under near summer temperatures. When trains had to go through the crossing, sandbags sand-bags were jerked from their seats, allowing water to flow along the tracks until the trains were through. See more pictures inside. By LE ANN BLODGETT What should you do in case of a flash flood? THIS IS a serious question in Davis County with creeks to the overflowing point. Mayor Morris Swapp says Bountiful Boun-tiful received a good rating on a civil defense training alert last year. Although there have been emergencies for some, the problems have been handled so far. Commissioner Stanley Smoot says some good has come out of the storm as it has convinced the railroads that they must put in adequate culverts under the D&RG and Union Pacific tracks at the 5th South and 2600 South crossing. UNTIL NOW, they had been unwilling to cooperate and had insisted that the cities ci-ties pay the expense, even to the flagmen to protect the crossings during construc- tion- , , , j Last Sunday, the situation looked grave. It looked as through the tracks would have to be sandbagged, jeopardizing the safety of the railroad. "Railroad authorities acted and the culverts were put in almost immediately," said Commissioner Smoot. BOUNTIFUL City Manager Grant Petersen Pet-ersen said it cost some money to have the reserve police, road crews and engineers on standby. "It was worth it because if there had been a flash storm we would have been in good shape," he said, referring to the situation si-tuation last Monday. EVEN THOUGH Woods Cross and West Bountiful were asking Bountiful for assistance, as-sistance, it is ironic that it wasn't Boun-tiful's Boun-tiful's water but it was coming directly out of the hills, according to Mayor Swapp. Mayor Swapp says he believes that if the areas were to be curbed and PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 2 Water Causes Problems In South Davis Region CONTINUED FROM FRONT sidewalked they would be free from residential damage because the water would go through the cities to the main drain. COMMISSIONER Smoot says the A-l drain is large enough to hold all the water that could come from any storm or all the drainage from the foothills. Engineer Jack Balling says Bountiful's 1 drainage system is the best and that the creeks pose the only problem. They should be dredged. South Davis County has been waiting since 1968 for a program of storm and drain control from the Corps of Engineers. THE STATE Highway Department has finally decided they must put in an adequate culvert at 5th South, according to Mr. Balling. They have had a man stationed sta-tioned there with a backhoe since the storm situation became grave. Mr. Balling warned that where people have encroached on the creeks, they will be liable for damage. COUNCILMAN Don Perkins said that most of the new housing developments will be going into Mill Creek and suggests that building be curtailed somehow until it can be handled. Some of the new developments to the south will go into North Canyon, according accord-ing to a councilman. ALL CITIES in Davis County have qualified for flood insurance and residents can purchase it from private insurance companies at reduced rates through a government subsidy program. |