The Verde Valley SciTech Festival hosted an event to teach children about flood safety at the Camp Verde Community Library on Tuesday, Feb. 2.
The presentation stressed the importance of being prepared for a flood, which is a very real possibility in the Verde Valley.
According to the presentation, flooding is the most common and deadly natural hazard, as six inches of fast-moving water can knock down an adult and 18-24 inches can sweep a car away. It included a video of a flood simulation model that used sponges to portray how the ground naturally soaks up rainwater. These were then replaced with an impervious plastic surface that caused model cars to run off the road. Then a retention basin was added, which captured and controlled the flow of water.
The kids then got to do a hands-on experiment. They filled up sponges with water, simulating rainwater being absorbed by the earth. They then turned the sponges over and witnessed the water dripping off the sponge, teaching them about gravity’s role in flash floods. As the Verde Valley is surrounded by mountains, gravity speeds up runoff and snowmelt, increasing the risk of flash floods.
The goal of the lesson was to teach kids to be prepared in the event of a flash flood. Instructors taught them to get to higher ground if possible, after finding a parent or adult, and about the importance of emergency planning. They also gave the kids flashlights to use in emergencies.
Residents are encouraged to sign up for emergency alerts in case of a flash flood.
After the lesson, the kids walked down to the Verde River and examined how the water levels had risen due to snowmelt over the past week.
For more information on SciTech Festival events visit sciencevortex.org/vvscitechfest2023.
