BELLEVUE (NBC 26) — Crews with the Village of Bellevue Public Works Department are dealing with high water from Tuesday night's storm and are concerned what more rainfall could mean.
Steve Kubacki, interim director of Public Works with the Village of Bellevue, said some storm drains backed up during Tuesday night's storm. He said crews were out that night into early morning Wednesday checking on storm gutters and sewer systems.
“The concerns were the catch basins of course, making sure they weren’t plugged up with grass and other things and impeding the storm water flow down into our storm water system and out into the rivers and creeks," Kubacki said.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Kubacki said any impediments to storm water flow have since been eliminated or reduced in preparation for expected rainfall Wednesday.
NBC 26 meteorologist Brittany Merlot said the Bellevue area is expected to receive between 1 and 2 inches of rain Wednesday afternoon.
This amount is a concern to Kubacki, who said creeks, ponds, and rivers are full of rain water from Tuesday. He said it all comes down to the quantity and speed of Wednesday's potential rain.
“If we’ve got a very intense rainfall over a short period of time, we have more problems," Kubacki said. "We’re concerned about the longevity and intensity of the storm. If it’s spread out over a longer period of time, our system can accommodate that to a greater level. If it comes very quickly, we’re going to have more issues and more problems.”
Kubacki said crews are working to keep flow lines clear with the physical removal of grass and debris in catch basins so the expected rainfall can get through the community quickly with the stormwater system.
People should make sure catch basins in front and back of their homes are clear so water can easily go down and move into the village's storm water system. Kubacki also suggests not putting grass clippings on the curb.
