Vermont Business Magazine Green Mountain Power is reminding customers about safety with minor to moderate flooding in the forecast. The National Weather Service has all parts of Vermont under Flood Watches and Warnings through Saturday afternoon, with up to 2.5 inches of rain expected in some locations. The storm blew into Vermont late Thursday night bringing strong winds and scattered power outages. Warmer temperatures combined with snow melt add to forecasters concerns.
“Safety is our priority and we are prepared. The amount of rain and snow melt forecasted is unusual and more like what we see during a typical January thaw,” said Jason Lisai, GMP’s Director of Generation Operations. “We watch the forecasts closely and have been making preparations for days. We are ready to respond to changing conditions.”
The National Weather Service says flooding is likely on multiple rivers with localized flooding and minor ice jams possible.
GMP is reminding customers to be careful around all waterways and that there can be extra hazards around hydroelectric facilities, where water conditions can change quickly. Some potential hazards include:
- Currents both above and belowdams can be strong and unpredictable.
- Spillways in by-pass areas can operate but may not visible from your location.
- Discharges can be sudden fromdamgates and remote operations
- Surfaces arounddams can be slippery and uneven, leading to falls in steep areas adjacent to flowing water.
- Ice jams can cause rapid rise of waters and could lead to road closures.
- Please do not drive through flooded roadways.
GMP operates 36 hydro plants around the state, which provide clean, reliable power to customers. You can learn more about GMP’s hydro power here:https://greenmountainpower.com/learn/understanding-power/
Vermont Emergency Management has flooding info and tips on its website here: https://vem.vermont.gov/preparedness/floods
Source: GMP: 12.21.2018