To Serve the People of Fremont County in   4-H, Youth,
Agriculture, Natural Resources, Families and Consumers

UW Fremont County Extension is a partnership with the USDA, University of Wyoming and The Fremont County Government.

Our Office is located at:
     130 Eugene, Lander, Wyoming
                               and
    814 South Federal, Riverton, Wyoming.
    

Phone Numbers: 307-332-2363 or 307-857-3654
 http://ces.uwyo.edu/

For a list of Online Bulletins available: http://www.uwyo.edu/uwag/Ag_Resource_Center.html

For an updated Online Lander Tree Book
http://www.landerwyoming.org 

For an updated Wyoming Hay List 
http://www.wyomingextension.org/haylist/default.asp

Flood Disaster Information

Water

Watch your well…because it, too, can be flooded.

If you see water around or in your well, it’s probably flooded. Take steps to disinfect it, or contact a well contractor or driller to disinfect it after the floodwaters recede. Use water from a safe public water supply, or bottled water, until your well has been disinfected.

Remember, many older wells are located in well pits that can flood after a heavy rain even if the surrounding area is not flooded.                                                                                                                                                          If you choose to disinfect your own well, be prepared to:

• Open outside faucets until water runs clear.
• Turn off the electric power to the pump, and remove the well cap.
• Prepare a solution of bleach and water. Let it sit for a half hour; then pour the entire mixture into the top of the well. The ratio of bleach to water can vary depending on the size and depth of your well. Contact your local health department or Extension office for more details.
• Recirculate the water by connecting a hose to a faucet and spraying the water back into the well for at least 15 minutes.
• Open every cold-water faucet in the system, and let the cold water run until the smell of chlorine can be detected. Then run the hot and cold water until clear. Close all faucets, and seal the top of the well.
• Let the chlorinated water stand in the system for several hours, preferably overnight.
• The next day, turn on all the faucets, and continue running the water until all odor of chlorine disappears.

Be sure to take a water sample and have it tested before using the water. Call the county health department to find out where to test well water in your area.

Disinfecting will not protect your water from pesticides, heavy metals, and other types of nonbiological contamination. If you suspect such contamination, special treatment is required.

Damaged Food

 Throw out most food. . . because floodwaters can contain a host of bacteria

When in doubt, throw out food that may have been damaged or spoiled in the flood. Keep only foods in undamaged commercial cans, and even then, sanitize the cans before using the food inside.

To clean and sanitize cans:

• Mark the contents on lids of cans with indelible ink, and remove paper labels.
• Wash the cans in a strong detergent solution, using a scrub brush.
• Immerse the containers for 15 minutes in a solution of 2 teaspoons chlorine bleach and 1 quart of room-temperature water.
• Air-dry the cans.

Food from the garden is best handled with caution. It’s risky to eat any of the produce, so discard it for safety’s sake.

This publication is brought to you by:

EDEN
Extension Disaster
Education Network

For More Information on Disasters here is a Website Link
http://uwadmnweb.uwyo.edu/wyodisasterhelp/
http://www3.abe.iastate.edu/HTMDOCS/pm899.pdf
http://www.extension.iastate.edu/disasterrecovery/info/wells.htm