SALT LAKE CITY — With flooding concerns rising across Utah following an extraordinary snowpack season, state employees will now be granted administrative leave to help prepare communities and neighborhoods for possible issues.
Gov. Spencer Cox issued an emergency order Thursday providing an optional eight hours of leave to all state employees of executive branch agencies to help with flood mitigation.
In most areas, Utah's snowpack is at least 150% of average, which is great to help alleviate drought, but can cause serious flooding issues as warmer weather arrives and melts accumulated snow. Parts of southern Utah began seeing rising waters around the Virgin River on Wednesday after an intense storm hit the area earlier this week.
“With the weather warming up, flooding is a major disaster concern in Utah. We’re experiencing record-breaking snowpack levels and we want to be prepared for what spring could have in store,” Gov. Cox said. “Utah’s state employees are community-minded and we know many will want to support their local emergency response teams for the common good.”
The executive order goes into effect immediately and is set to expire on Aug. 31.
