| Gov. Huntsman to Declare State of Emergency Jan. 11, 2005 (AP / KSL News) In Washington County they are already talking about this as one of the biggest floods in a century. And it's not over yet. Governor Huntsman says he will declare Washington County a disaster area after touring the flood ravaged region today. The declaration should open up access to federal disaster relief funds. Huntsman says damage to homes and infrastractures was more extensive than he expected. Southern Utah residents, already reeling from flooding, shouldn't expect relief any time soon.
It wasn't clear if the storms were more good news for the state's drought outlook, as forecasters warned that the winter season is still young and there's time for any increased snowpack to melt away. The south was bracing for more flooding Tuesday and Wednesday as another inch of rain was predicted for parts of the region, the National Weather Service said.
Gov. Huntsman: “You are all volunteering your time and your services during a very difficult time down here, and we appreciate what you are doing. So lets go to work.” The Governor intends to visit several other areas in Southern Utah hit by the flooding. The Virgin and San Juan rivers were expected to reach flood stages again Tuesday evening and continue to run high through the night before receding Wednesday. Rain in the area was likely to change to snow sometime Wednesday, National Weather Service hydrologist Brian McInerey said. McInerey, who has spent 15 years at the NWS, said it was the worst flooding for St. George during that span.
Flooding started in the St. George area Monday morning, damaging roads, filling city sewer systems with dirty river water and flooding several residences. The well-used Shivwits bridge, between Gunlock and St. George, buckled under the weight of rushing water and was closed.
Also Tuesday, the Washington County towns of Leeds and Enterprise reported flooding in some areas and were asking for volunteers to help with sandbagging efforts. In Santa Clara, flood waters undercut the foundation of a home along the river bank, washing part of it away.
Washington County remained under a state of emergency, and officials were sending assistance, including about 50,000 sandbags. Authorities were also beginning damage assessment Tuesday, trying to determine if the region would qualify for federal aid. The Virgin River, which cuts through the southwest corner of the state, was moving at 3,500 cubic feet per second -- well above its normal volume of 50 feet per second, McInerey said. Smaller rivers in the region, which are not monitored, are also flooding. "If that's any indication of what's happening in the slot canyons then everything is roaring," McInerey said.
In Logan, where nearly 20 inches of snow had accumulated since Saturday, some residents had spotty electrical service after wet, heavy snow took out tree branches and downed some power lines. A Smith's grocery store was evacuated after its roof bowed under the weight of heavy snow. At higher elevations statewide, snow was stacking up. Overnight Tuesday, 10 inches dropped at Kolob in Zion National Park, and almost five inches fell in Pine Valley, north and west of St. George. Along the Wasatch Front, 5 inches fell in Farmington Canyon, 7 inches were registered at the Alta ski resort and 7 inches fell at Solitude in Big Cottonwood Canyon. In Weber County, 10 inches accumulated at Monte Cristo. All the rain and snow could bode well for the state, which has suffered through six years of drought. Snowpack totals so far for the season are at roughly 150 percent of normal and rainfall totals in southern areas are between 350 and 400 percent above normal, the weather service said. Most southern Utah reservoirs were considered "filled and spilling" on Tuesday, McInerey said.
(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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