From Deseret News archives:
Flash flood warning for Dixie today
Crews were able to reopen one lane of the southbound two-lane road that leads in and out of Gunlock by early today, giving residents of the rural community their only way out of town.
"The water just eroded the soil on the back side of the bridge," said Washington County Commissioner Alan Gardner, who surveyed the damage early today. "County road crews were busy all night long trying to reopen a portion of the road."
Rock work completed along the river last year helped save Gunlock from more severe damage, Gardner said, although several feet of sediment will have to be removed.
Representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Utah Department of Homeland Security are assessing the damage today, said Preston Raban, Department of Public Safety public information officer. A DPS helicopter is on standby to help as needed, he said.
"In the 46 years that I've lived here, this is the biggest flood I've ever seen come down the North Creek," said Doug Wilson, who made his way down Kolob Mountain at the height of the flooding.
Wilson said his friend, Mike Staples, lost a portion of a log cabin and had several other family homes seriously damaged in the raging floodwaters. At least two feet of mud clogged the Kolob Canyon Road near Sunset Canyon Ranch, Wilson said, which was eventually cleared out by the ranch owner using a backhoe.
Washington County Sheriff's Lt. Jake Adams said deputies had to rescue several of the home's residents by stringing a line across the water and swimming back and forth to dry land with the occupants. Rescuers were not able to save a few pigs, dogs, cats and a bird from the rising waters. The department's swift-water rescue team rescued about 30 people.
The recreational vehicle that was destroyed was the only one that remained in the Zion River Resort after evacuation orders were issued. About 40 people were able to get their recreational vehicles out of the park, which is built along the banks of the Virgin River, before waters reached dangerous levels.
Comments
- Oil falls below $79 7:53 a.m.
- Stocks open lower 7:53 a.m.
- Iranian Consulate fatally shot 7:49 a.m.
- AP poll: Family dinner survives 7:47 a.m.
- Palestinian election may be called off 7:45 a.m.
- Balloon boy parents to plead guilty 7:44 a.m.
- Intel to pay AMD $1.25B settlement 7:42 a.m.
- Jobless claims fall to 502K 7:40 a.m.
- Obama to want revised war options 7:39 a.m.
- Will state consider gay rights law? 7:11 a.m.
- SLC council OKs gay rights policies
- BYU football recruit turning heads
- Alta's Ohai is Ms. Soccer 2009
- Prep football: Felt's Facts Week
- 'Love story' of crash victim ends
- Utah Jazz have a problem at point
- Crash kills Utah County man
- 12 Utes return to Texas
- Will state consider gay rights law?
- Long days for BYU interns
- House passes health care bill
288 - SLC council OKs gay rights policies
251 - TCU showdown has big implications
195 - Senators want food tax restored
157 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
155 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
131 - TCU 4th in AP poll; U. 16th, Y. 22nd
119 - S.L. vote pending on gay protections
109 - Pratt pleads not guilty to sex charges
101 - Letters: Strange breed in Utah
100
This week, I'm compiling my annual list of restaurants serving...
He left today for a 10 day visit to China and the Far East. This has greater...
Many kids learn about sex on their own, and probably know quite a bit more...
has something u don't have. A quarterback! TCU will run circles around u! ...
I would have to agree. I actually wrote a lot more stuff, but decided if I...
Nice way to participate in a dialog...addressing people as "whackos"? Yeah,...
we are not in a deflationary cycle. We are in the bursting of a inflated...
Did a favored UofU team not lose its first round game last year, and is not...
Utah in a BCS bowl? Yeah good one. BSU is not going to lose again. Hey, I...
I believe the silence in Chicago will be attributable to the dozen or so...
Nothing has changed from last year. Why did not the FO/Sloan get a real combo...



You can be the first to comment on this story.