Moses Lake asks people to unblock grates

MOSES LAKE — With the melting snow and warmer weather, Moses Lake city officials are asking residents to scrape clean street grates if they’re blocked with snow or debris.

This week, city crews responded to about 20 sites where they either had to move snow from or unclog storm drains, said Jack Zeppenfield, the city’s street division supervisor.

Zeppenfield thanked the residents who helped out by finding catch basins and unplugging the clogged areas themselves.

“They moved the snow and ice to get that water to flow,” he explained. “It really helped out.”

As far as he knows, no businesses were flooded in town, he said.

But the city did receive calls from residents to take care of the water before it reached the businesses, Zeppenfield added.

City Superintendent Tim Varney said the city did learn of some ponding in town.

Generally, any water back-ups are resolved when the grate is found and raked clean, he said.

Varney added they didn’t want anyone straining or hurting themselves.

He encouraged residents to call the city if they aren’t successful in cleaning the grates.

If flooding conditions occur after office hours, business owners and residents are asked to call 9-1-1, Varney said.

The dispatch center has city employees’ phone numbers for after hours emergencies, he added.

Varney said before winter started, the street crew cleaned known problem drains, which was a big help.

Today, city crews will be working at Cascade Hill because of a mudslide, Varney said.

Crews will be cleaning sand and small rock from the sidewalk and road nearby, he noted.

There hasn’t been any flooding reported in Grant County this week, said Sandi Duffey of Grant County Emergency Management.

Across the state, all major passes over the Cascades are closed and a portion of Interstate 5 is still closed due to flooding, according to the state Department of Transportation (DOT).

Interstate 5 and Interstate 90 will stay closed until water levels decrease and the road is safe.

It’s not known when both interstates will open.

Amtrak train service over the Cascades was canceled Thursday.

For route information, go to www.wsdot.wa.gov.