Flooding is something that many not near water sources may believe that they don’t need to worry about, but it can affect just about anyone.

Adair and Guthrie County Emergency Management Coordinator Jeremy Cooper says that flash flooding is the most significant flooding risk for residents of both counties. He tells Raccoon Valley Radio why that is.

“Typically our flash flooding situations are in our lower lying areas and they come up quickly and they typically go down relatively quickly as well. So, we’ve got a lot of low water crossings in our counties that just don’t have adequate drainage, and they just kind of get taken under water briefly. And typically within a few hours those roadways are opened back up and the water has receded.”

Cooper mentions that aerial flooding can also affect both counties, where lowlying areas like fields and pastures may end up taking in too much water during extended and heavy rains, and end up with standing water. He explains that there are also cases where flash flooding situations can turn into aerial flooding as well.

Cooper adds that a major concern of his and other EMA Coordinators, because it happens every year despite warnings not to, is people driving through flooded areas, or through water on roadways. He shares that even water a few inches deep can begin to sweep vehicles off the road, and then there’s a whole new issue of needing to try and rescue the occupants of the vehicle. Cooper’s piece of advice in case you come across a flooded road? “Turn around, don’t drown.”