Our state Employment Security Department has a great idea: If you live in the Green River Valley and you receive unemployment insurance checks by mail, sign up for direct deposit — ASAP.

With the rainy season starting, and the Howard Hanson Dam operating at reduced capacity, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has warned that communities downstream of the dam face a greater risk of flooding this winter. While we all hope it doesn’t come to that, it pays to be prepared.

Signing up for direct deposit will help ensure that, even in a worst-case scenario, you will have access to your benefits. A few minutes now could save you hours and even days or weeks of frustration in the event you are displaced by flooding.

You can click these links for additional information or to sign up for direct deposit now. Don’t delay. It takes up to 14 days for the department to receive verification from a bank or credit union and begin direct deposit, so the sooner you sign up, the sooner you’ll begin receiving your benefits in a way that can’t be disrupted by flooding.