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A car drives over the Spanish Fork River on 1550 West Street in Spanish Fork on Tuesday, April 12, 2011. The water level in the river is rising and depending on the weather, flooding could occur. JAMES ROH/Daily Herald

James Roh

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The Spanish Fork River flows near 1550 West Street in Spanish Fork on Tuesday, April 12, 2011.

James Roh, Daily Herald file photo

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The Johnny Cash tune “Five Feet High and Risin’?” could take on serious overtones for those living along the banks and in the flood plain of the Spanish Fork and Provo Rivers, depending on the weather this spring.

Although there is no imminent flooding, the conditions could change just enough to speed up snow melt and produce more water than riverbanks can hold.

“We’re sitting right exactly where we were in ’83, ’84,” said Spanish Fork River Commissioner John Mendenhall.

“We have over 600 square miles of drainage, that’s a lot of water that has got to come this way,” he added. “That water will come out no matter what. The quicker it comes out, the more we’re in trouble.”

With highs between 65 and 70 degrees, Mendenhall doesn’t think Spanish Fork will have any trouble. As long as it stays mildly cold, even if it snows some more, the rivers will run high but the water should stay within the banks.

“Up to 2,500 cubic feet per second, we can handle that. I hope we can just take pictures of high water and say, ‘I remember that,’?” Mendenhall said. In 1983, the last time the Spanish Fork River went over its banks, the river ran 5,000 CFS, he added.

A week ago Spanish Fork River was running under 300 CFS, but after the heavy snow later in the week it went up to 500 CFS.

Utah Lake is as large as it is allowed to get, Mendenhall said, according to an agreement between the state and the lakeside landowners. Floodgates into the Jordan River from Utah Lake are opened to allow 1,100 CFS of water out to keep the lake down. That is as wide open as they can be and still allow room in the Jordan to absorb the melt from Cottonwood and other Salt Lake canyons.

Mendenhall credits Spanish Fork city for foresight in removing snags and trees from the riverbanks within city limits.

“West Park Drive was a concern. We took out trees that could fall into the river and debris at the Sports Park,” said Trapper Burdick, Assistant Spanish Fork City Engineer. One large tree washing into a river at high water could cause flooding. The tree could snag at a pinch point, such as a freeway bridge. Then any other debris would lodge in the tree, damming water flow, causing the water to go over the riverbanks.

Burdick said the city sent a letter to riverside property owners. The letter provided information on flooding, disaster declaration, flood insurance and riverside property owners’ responsibilities.

Significant improvements have been made in Provo since the floods of 1984. Provo Mayor John Curtis blogged: “Many remember the flooding of 1983 and 1984. Significant runoff flows caused that flooding, but comparable runoff would not result in a similar flooding now because the city has since made several improvements to its storm water/flood control system, such as increasing the size and capacity of retention basins and storm drain pipes.”

Greg Beckstrom, Provo city storm water manager, said, “We’re certainly going to have a large amount of runoff, it depends on the weather. Our best guess is that we will likely see flows in the river like in 2005: 1,900 CFS.”

Provo residents who observe debris building up in the river are asked to call (801) 852-6000 to report it.

“We urge property owners to keep an eye out and let us know,” Beckstrom said. “Debris can collect on trees or sand bars and cause bank erosion.”

Provo residents who live on hillsides and in the canyons should be mindful of rock falls and earth movement. Mayor Curtis also noted property owners near the lower Provo River may see groundwater in their basements or crawl spaces.

Both Provo and Spanish Fork have purchased sand and bags, should they be required.