JACKSON, Wyo. — Last week, the Flat Creek Watershed Improvement District (FCWID), mitigated minor flooding along Flat Creek where thick chunks of ice had developed near the creek’s banks.
The Flat Creek Watershed Improvement District (FCWID) exists to protect private property and public infrastructure from winter flooding in the area between Karns Meadow and High School Road, encompassing the Flat Creek corridor where most winter flooding issues are concentrated. The Town of Jackson works in partnership with the FCWID, which is overseen by the Teton Conservation District (TCD).
Last week, the FCWID resolved flooding at Karns Meadow, which began to overflow onto Karns Meadow Drive. Additionally, excavators were used to remove ice between Garaman Park and the Elk Run Condos to resolve where water came up over the embankment near Creekside Condos. Work is on-going to remove ice and prevent flooding around Dogwood Drive and upstream from Stacy Lane to the bridge on Snow King Avenue.
According to TCD, every winter the FCWID monitors all along Flat Creek for potential flooding. When necessary, excavators and the creek’s three thaw wells are used to reduce ice build-up. The temperature of underground water remains almost constant throughout the year because the water table is below the surface, and a thaw well pumps this warmer, approximately 50 degrees Fahrenheit, ground water into the creek to melt overflow ice and ice dams.
Winter flooding is a naturally occurring phenomenon and has been recorded on Flat Creek for decades, TCD says via their website. Cold temperatures cause the formation of frazil, irregularly shaped ice crystals, and anchor ice or submerged ice. Frazil ice is created when turbulent water is supercooled, below freezing and forms loose chunks of floating ice. This slurry of ice and water can then cause ice dams and flooding. Frazil ice also solidifies on creek bottoms, creating anchor ice, which can cause flooding by pushing water up.
Property owners along the creek also pursue alternative mitigation tools such as sand bags, berms and elevated landscaping to minimize disturbance to the creek.
The FCWID will continue to break up ice and keep Flat Creek flowing in the stretch between Snow King Avenue and Garaman Park, the Town of Jackson said via press release. Especially with the weather forecast predicting more cold temperatures, the FCWID plans to be proactive in monitoring Flat Creek in Town throughout the winter months.
