Farm County Encouraged To Prepare For Springtime Flooding

.With warmer weather expected in the weeks ahead, spring thaw will begin for many areas of the Pacific Northwest. And with spring thaw comes the likelihood of springtime flooding. Farmers, ranchers, everyone in the agricultural community is being reminded to prepare now for those soggy conditions.

Amber Betts with the Washington state Department of Agriculture said while each producer's emergency flood plan will vary based on their operation and the lay of the land, they’ve released a list of ten tips for flood prevention.

"One of those things is making sure that you attach bales of straw to machinery in front of the sharp edges and the protruding parts...to protect any animals housed with the equipment."

She noted it’s best to use straw instead of hay to keep cattle from injuring themselves when they get hungry.

"If the barn becomes flooded you to make sure you get the cattle out of there. If the water rises quickly, often times they will refuse to leave the barn and in that case they could drown."

When the floodwaters recede, Betts said its important to remove any wet hay from the barn to prevent spontaneous hay combustion. Any damage to farms, crops or livestock from a flood can be reported to the Farm Service Agency for disaster assistance.

When it comes to preparing your operation, here are some good resources:

For overall disaster prep:

Natural Disasters and Severe Weather, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

For pets and livestock:

Floods and Your Livestock, The Center for Food Security and Public Health
Winter Storms and Your Pets/Livestock, The Center for Food Security and Public Health
Thunderstorms and Your Pets/Livestock, The Center for Food Security and Public Health State

Disaster Prep and county emergency management:

Prep for veterinarians: