Road to Ogden Canyon closed due to erosion; Mudslide hits Weber County
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As temperatures rise in Utah over the next few days, so will the likelihood of flooding as the state’s record snowpack melts — and flood warnings are already in place for some areas, according to the National Weather Service.
In Salt Lake City, temperatures are expected to peak at around 70C on Thursday, then into the low to mid 70C on Friday and Saturday, the mid to high 70C on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday to the low 80s and thereafter rising to the mid 80s on Wednesday. And temperatures are expected to remain in the 80s through the following weekend.
Normal highs for this time of year are around 71-74 degrees.
Not much rain is forecast – a slight chance for Saturday and Sunday and a chance of isolated thunderstorms Monday through Wednesday.
Temperatures in the St George area are expected to be above 80C on Thursday, with temperatures in the high 80C to mid 90C forecast for next week. That’s above normal, which is 83-86 degrees at this time of year.
flood warnings
The National Weather Service has issued flood warnings for four areas:
• The Bear River at Corinne, where snowmelt and increased water release from reservoirs are expected to cause minor flooding downstream of Cutler Dam. River level will remain between 15 and 16 feet “until further notice”; The flood level is 15.5 feet.
• The South Fork of the Ogden River near Huntsville, where spring snowmelt runoff will cause minor flooding “until further notice”. The forecast assumes the river will remain at about 4.6 feet of high water.
• The Sevier River near Hatch, where spring snowmelt runoff is expected to cause minor flooding beginning Saturday morning. The river will remain between action and flood stages over the next few days. Minor flood level is 3.9 feet; The mean flood level is 4.3 feet.
• The Bear River in eastern Rich County, where snowmelt and increasing water release from reservoirs will cause the river to ramp up “until further notice.” Moderate flooding is expected on farmland and roads adjacent to the Bear River from below Woodruff Narrows Reservoir to the Wyoming border.
The road to Ogden Canyon is closed due to erosion
(Weber County Sheriff’s Office) State Road 39 through Ogden Canyon was closed Thursday, May 11, 2023 after high water levels in the Ogden River eroded a section of bank below the roadway.
The road through Ogden Canyon was closed Thursday and is expected to remain closed through Friday because of the erosionaccording to the Utah Department of Transportation.
John Gleason, a spokesman for UDOT, said a section of the embankment under the roadway was partially washed away because of strong currents from the Ogden River, which flows through the gorge and under the roadway in some places.
Crews closed the road after spotting erosion, which Gleason said was near Milestone 9, near the canyon’s waterfall and on the west side of the canyon, at the Ogden city limits. As of Thursday afternoon, teams worked to assess the damage and determine the scope of repairs needed.
Gleason said the road’s tentative reopening Friday morning could change. He added that there were no reports of flooding in the gorge. Earlier this month, water spilled onto the canyon’s roadway after debris blocked a culvert.
Mudslide in Eden
(Weber Fire District) A mudslide hit Eden on Wednesday.
A home in Weber County remained evacuated Thursday morning and portions of a road remained closed after a mudslide on Wednesday.
According to the Weber Fire District, the slide was reported around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in Eden, home to the Powder Mountain ski area, which is closed for the season. Melting snow in the area soaked a slope, officials said, leading to the slide.
According to officials, a house was hit and some residents in the area were evacuated as a precaution. The emergency services worked to divert the water from other surrounding houses.
“The situation is constantly being monitored,” reported the Weber fire department on Wednesday evening, “and the emergency services on site will notify residents immediately if further evacuations are necessary.”
Creeks of Salt Lake City
According to the Colorado Basin River Forecast Center, flooding of Salt Lake City’s creeks is not expected for the next few days. Even with the warmer temperatures, flooding is not expected along Emigration Creek and Red Butte Creek.
Water levels in Parleys Creek are expected to drop over the next few days as less water is released from the reservoirs. Sugar House Park remains closed to vehicles as the pond — a flood retention area — remains flooded. Salt Lake City has not announced a reopening date.
However, there is still a risk of debris clogging creeks and causing localized flooding. Salt Lake County teams worked Wednesday to clear debris from City Creek in anticipation of higher temperatures and increased snowmelt.
The Salt Lake County Flood Protection Department urged residents to call 385-468-6600 if they see flooding along any river, creek, creek, canal, or area of streamline erosion.
If residents see flooding on local roads, intersections, or parking lots, they should call their local municipality.
