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City outlines flood-season preparations, sandbag stations and Everbridge alerts
Summary
Operations superintendent Trey Bryant reviewed current flood probabilities, levee maintenance, sandbag availability and the city’s use of Everbridge and the Connect Sheridan app for resident notifications.
Trey Bryant, operations superintendent, briefed Sheridan City Council on May 19 about the city’s seasonal flood mitigation steps, current flood outlooks and resident notification options.
Bryant said recent rain increased short-term creek-level exceedance probabilities and that the National Weather Service/NOAA thresholds guide city action: staff consider preemptive action when water reaches about 6 feet and classify the minor flood stage at roughly 7.5 feet. “We have sandbags filled already right now,” Bryant said; the city maintains prefilled sandbags at the service center, and a county sandbag fill station is also available.
Why this matters: Sheridan has a levee system maintained under a program with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; rapid rises can damage property and infrastructure. The city’s preparations include levee maintenance, clearing channels, exercising flood gates and staging sandbag resources in known flood-prone neighborhoods.
Key points from the presentation: - Monitoring: city stream-gauge readings that feed NOAA are located behind the wastewater plant; staff watch weekly exceedance forecasts and daily updates during storms. - Historic context: the highest recorded stage referenced was 11.26 feet in 1944; recent high events include 8.09 feet (2011) and 7.5 feet (2013). - Response thresholds and resources: the city has a levee-maintenance agreement with the Army Corps; staff exercise flood gates, maintain outfalls and clear debris. The city can load and deliver sandbags from the service center and provides prefilled sandbags for residents who cannot fill their own. - Resident notifications: Everbridge provides automated weather and emergency alerts if residents have signed up; the city also supports the Connect Sheridan app for citizen service requests (potholes, etc.). An Everbridge alert was sent the day of the meeting, prompting resident calls.
Council asked about the location of NOAA gauge data (Bryant identified the gauge behind the wastewater plant) and whether Everbridge alerts are in place (yes; residents must opt in). Bryant noted practical tools used in prior events, such as a modified mulch bagger used to speed sandbag filling.
No formal action was taken; the council received the update and several members encouraged wider resident sign-up for Everbridge and use of the Connect Sheridan app for service requests.
