Today, the weather service was warning about flooding. Not immediately, but something that will be in the forecast for spring of 2011. The areas in Minnesota and Wisconsin are low lying, near the branches of the upper Mississippi, and they have huge deposits of snow this year. Our record snowfall in December, will ensure a record flooding in cities like Fargo, St. Paul, Minneapolis, La Crosse, and Chippewa Falls. The areas are almost certainly going to be affected by the fast melt that is to follow.
This means, there is going to be eventual water stagnation, and many areas could be saturated for months. This is a circular problem, as it will create a very rainy period during the early melt season, and the early summer months. As long as the temperature is above 35 degrees, for at least 6 hours during the day, the snow will melt faster than the ground can support.
If you are a low lying home owner, you need to take action now. Be sure to apply for the government funded flood insurance program at the following link:
http://www.floodsmart.gov/floodsmart/
This is a government funded program, and it requires only 30 days for you to be covered. In the scheme of things, your home owner’s insurance will not cover your loss during a flood. A car can be quickly carried away in 2 feet of water. With the amazing amount of snow that the Midwest and the east coast has received, there is no wonder that the flood warnings are being sent out in January.
This spring is going to be a very wet one! That being said, it made me look ahead, and think about the other factors, where there will be many areas of water stagnation, and the fields could be ponds and lakes for a very long time. The only reason to worry about this now, is that there is going to be a great many people who will be displaced by water, and flooding. There as well, will be pest control problems, and mosquitoes will be another large concern.
During the winter, the mosquitoes do not hibernate, but their eggs do. If a very wet season brings a warm period of time, with lots of standing water, we are going to have a huge problem with mosquitoes. I know that during the floods of 1997 in Fargo/Morehead, the mosquito population led to a large problem with west nile disease, and was first reported in the Midwest at that time.
A great way to nip mosquitoes in the bud, is to have a carbon dioxide insect trap set up. The best ones continue to provide you with placement and product assistance whenever you need it. It runs on a propane tank, to provide 24/7 mosquito capture possible in your yard. Even though we are still in the frozen depths of winter, the mosquitoes are going to be nasty, and will be a large health concern.
So, while you are shoveling all that white stuff, be sure to think about where it is all going to go, in the near future. We all need to consider if a progressive insurance flood plan is a smart idea for our homes and businesses, and as well, stock up on mosquito preventative machines. Without some careful planning for the spring ahead, our weather could get the best of us!