[at-l] OT: Flash Flood Article

[rickboudrie at hotmail.com (rick boudrie)]

I know this isn't AT related but I thought I'd post it anyway.   The date 
line was from a week ago, but it was on today's NPS Morning report.


Capitol Reef National Park (UT)
Major Flash Flooding, Rescue


On August 23rd, an intense thunderstorm dropped three-quarters of an inch of 
rain on the park within 15 minutes, then was followed by more rain and hail, 
causing the most significant flooding seen in the park in several decades. 
The focal point of the storm was an area radiating out from park 
headquarters for about five miles. Temperatures dropped more than 30 degrees 
in just over an hour. Sulphur Creek, which normally runs about two inches 
deep and eight feet wide at this time of the year, grew to 16 feet deep and 
140 feet wide. A bridge on Highway 24 acted as a dam, creating a point that 
measured several acres in size. Hundreds of boulders, some as large as 300 
pounds, were washed onto the highway in numerous locations. Dozens of 
waterfalls cascading over the Wingate cliffs added to the volume, and hail 
two to six inches deep briefly covered the canyon floor. For a few sminutes, 
runoff up to three inches deep swept across orchards, fields, and the park 
residence area, damaging two homes. Campers in the Fruita Campground were 
moved to high ground away from the river, and visitors were evacuated from 
canyons along Scenic Drive. The Spring Canyon and South Desert drainages 
then began to flood, bringing the Fremont River, normally 15 inches deep and 
25 feet wide at this time of year, to a depth of 17 feet in places, and 
width of 400 feet near the east boundary of the park. The chocolate-colored 
river featured numerous standing waves and a huge debris load that included 
full-size trees. The river left its banks and the adjacent river bottoms to 
flow across Highway 24 at about ten locations, including several areas that 
covered the highway for stretches of a half-mile. The highway and other 
roads were closed, and state highway department employees and the park’s 
roads and trails crew responded quickly and worked into the night to remove 
debris, temporarily repair undercut sections, and reopen the highway. At one 
point, Janie Hutchinson, 64, of Corrales, New Mexico, who was standing at 
the edge of the river watching it flow by, was caught by a massive surge 
that pushed the river to about ten times its normal width. Water flowed 
behind her and she quickly stood on a rock as the water rose to thigh-level 
and left her 55 feet from the bank, clutching a tamarisk sprig as standing 
waves formed around her. Rangers and bystanders were able to get a life 
jacket and throw rope to her and pull her to safety. Two hikers escaped harm 
in the Sulphur Creek Narrows by scrambling up onto a small ledge and 
remaining there for nearly three hours as the flood rushed by. Tom Cox was 
incident commander.
[Submitted by Tom Cox, Acting Chief Ranger]

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