BOISE, Idaho — There are thousands of storm drains in the Boise area. If these get clogged, your neighborhood could be at risk for flooding.
"I'm sure you've driven through an area with a huge puddle,” Nicole DuBois, chief communication officer for the Ada County Highway District (ACHD) said. “The reason that is happening is because the storm drain in the area is clogged with something and preventing that water from draining through."
Flooding can all be avoided, however, if you take preventative measures and shovel or rake the snow and ice blocking the grates in your neighborhood.
Other debris poses threats to storm drain flooding as well, like leaves, grass, and trash.
If the drain is clogged beyond what you can handle, do not try to remove the grate yourself. Give ACHD a call, and they will send people to help.
"If we have to come out when it's clogged we have to use a big vacuum truck,” DuBois said. “It's a little bit of a bigger thing, so it will help us a lot if people can take that preventative action and help keep the storm drains clear."
Locate storm drains in your neighborhood with ACHD’s storm drain map.
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