There's water in them thar hills -- more than one-third above what is normal.

American Fork Director of Public Works Howard Denney said there is 135 percent of the normal amount of snow at the Snowbird measuring site, which is one which affects American Fork. On the average the greatest amount of melting happens in the next few weeks and could run the river over its banks.

His prediction is for a good outcome, however.

"I predict we will be good," he said. "We will have high water. I think we will manage this and survive OK."

He said it is slightly too soon to tell how the melt will happen.

"We are still a little bit away before the break time," he said. "Another one-and-a-half to two weeks we should be peaked out and flowing," he said in an interview Monday.

If it takes longer for the major melt to happen, it could signal problems.

"If it goes beyond that it is bad for us," Denney said. "It will get hot quickly and come down fast."

Recent high-water years of 2005 and 2006 had their peak melt times happen in early to mid-May, which is a little later than average. Both those years had snowpack of 178 percent of average, higher than the current year.

"If it goes like 2005 we could potentially have water out of the banks of the rivers," Denney said. "However, we don't have the same snowpack."

Whenever the high water occurs, there are some safety tips that will help prevent tragedies.

"The charts are all telling us there will be high water in the river," he said. "Don't let kids play in the river. Don't let someone slip in the stream and get carried down. Let's not have people do inner tubing."

Before the water levels increase, there are things the residents can do to help ensure the water remains in the river banks.

"What we need to do is take our crews down and do some cleaning," Denney said. "We would appreciate help from the residents in keeping the creek clean. If they see trees growing in the river or piled in there they may cut them down or notify the public works at 763-3060. No rocks, grass clippings, tree limbs or other materials should be dumped in the riverbed, he said.

Denney described the best scenario for controlled runoff.

"Warm days and cool nights is the best to keep things slow and fairly regular," he said.

There is nearly a 12-hour lag time between the hottest temperatures of the day and the highest levels of the river in the city limits, he said.

"The highest water here is usually from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m.," he said. "When it is hot here, we will have lower flows."