Utahns race to keep ahead of overflowing creek waters

SANDY — A couple hundred sandbags is all that's preventing the south side of Taylor World's house from collapsing into the raging creek, and even that might not be enough.

His family was on its way back from a trip to Apple Reef near St. George Sunday night when neighbors and ward members called them to say the foundation around their Sandy home at 8908 Cobble Creek Canyon Circle was eroding into the creek flowing out of Little Cottonwood Canyon — one of several residences along the Wasatch Front affected by flooding since Saturday.

"If it washes out anymore, we'll lose this side of the house," World said, a nervous expression on his face as he surveyed the damage. "The master bedroom, bath, our two children's bedrooms and downstairs, a mother-in-law bedroom, would be washed away."

The only indication of where his property once stood is a lone tree, which now resides closer to the opposite side of the creek as 30 feet of his backyard has washed away since Sunday, including some of the ground beneath the home's foundation, leaving his home in a perilous spot.

Calling it the largest flow of water in Little Cottonwood Creek since 1983, the mayors of several Salt Lake County cities stood side -by -side Monday afternoon warning residents that flooding could continue in parts of the valley for a few more days.

Flooding was not limited to Salt Lake County, however. Property owners along the Weber River in Summit County and along Dry Creek in Lehi were also busy sandbagging and taking other protective measures to limit damage from rapidly rising waters there.

TBut the group of Salt Lake area mayors also emphasized that emergency crews from all jurisdictions are working jointly to protect residents. Cottonwood Heights Mayor Kelvyn Cullimore said he hopes the efforts will hopefully make the entire incident "forgettable" in just a few days.

The mayors'ir biggest fear was that Little Cottonwood Creek would once again hit its highest point about midnight and flood.

Officials warned that the danger wasn't past and that an expected peak at midnight could bring another foot of water and damage to residences and bridges supported by sandbags and prayers.

By Monday evening, total damage was still being tallied, but there was significant damage to some condos in Holladay and minor damage to homes, apartments and businesses in Sandy, Cottonwood Heights, Murray and Midvale.