Millcreek mayor declares state of local emergency

MILLCREEK, Utah — Millcreek Mayor Jeff Silvestrini declared a state of local emergency and called for the help of volunteers Thursday.

Silvestrini declared the emergency citing an “imminent risk of flooding from the four active creeks in the community.”

Following heavy flooding from Emigration Creek in Sugar House Wednesday, just north of Millcreek’s city boundary, Millcreek’s sandbag reserve was depleted. Silvestrini said Millcreek offered aid by allowing flood control crews to use Millcreek’s sandbags, previously filled by volunteers, but now there was an urgent need to replenish.

 The release stated:
“We need to immediately replenish our reserve in the event we see similar flooding in Millcreek. The risk of flooding in Millcreek is real and imminent, but still unpredictable. We have experienced record-breaking snowpack in our mountains, which contains water content in excess of the flood year of 1983, when significant flooding occurred in our community. Our creeks will be rising and running beyond their usual volumes very soon. Whether the weather will cooperate with a slow melt is hoped for, but unknown. We want to do everything possible to be ready and that includes putting our city on an emergency footing to allow our employees to be flexible and to allow us to use our resources as needed to address this imminent crisis. This declaration will additionally position us to receive mutual aid from our neighbors and reimbursements from county, state and/or federal resources if and when needed and appropriate.”

The declaration from Silvestrini warned residents to clear properties of debris such as vegetation, lawn furniture, firewood and anything else that could be washed out if the property was within a floodplain.

There will be a Millcreek-sponsored sandbag-filling event on Saturday at 3800 S. Wasatch Boulevard from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The first 500 volunteers will receive a buy one pizza, get one free coupon for the new Pizza Nono location at Millcreek Common.

Any stream blockages in Millcreek can be reported to the city at 801-214-2700.