UPDATED: Washington County residents warned to be prepared for the worst; city crews stand ready as rivers rage

Written by Chris Reed
March 15, 2023

SANTA CLARA — At the bridge on Old Dixie Highway 91 that crosses the Santa Clara River, what normally looks like a gentle stream was a fast-moving torrent around 11 a.m. Wednesday as gauges nearby and closer to the Gunlock Reservoir were passing flood stage. 

The Santa Clara River below the bridge on Old Dixie Highway 91 as of 11 a.m., Ivins, Utah, March 15, 2023 | Photo by Chris Reed, St. George News

Update March 15, 7 p.m. New details on rising waters in Santa Clara, I-15 closed between St. George and Las Vegas, video updated, additional photos added

But five miles downstream, the river, while not its usual trickle, still seemed to be gently moving.

“Where is it?” a worker with the city of Santa Clara could be heard saying on the Clary Bridge above the river with several other workers. About seven city vehicles in total from Santa Clara, Ivins and St. George and two excavators at the ready, the city’s mayor said, prepared to remove debris that might clog up the river.. 

As a U.S. Geographical Survey gauge near the Winsor Dam on the Santa Clara River rose six feet in three hours as the sun rose Wednesday morning, the combination of a steady rainfall on top of snowmelt has areas near rivers and streams throughout Southern Utah either experiencing active flooding or the treat of the same. 

Flash flood warnings and watches from the National Weather Service are in effect through Thursday afternoon. Santa Clara and St. George officials have stationed crews on bridges and excavators along the Santa Clara River. In Bloomington, a trail near the Man O War Road Bridge above the Virgin River was closed as fast, choppy waters flowed below.

Public works vehicles and excavators from three cities on the Clary Bridge above the Santa Clara River, Santa Clara, Utah, March 15, 2023 | Photo by Chris Reed, St. George News

Streets above the washes have been flooding over since Tuesday night in Enterprise, which has been seeing several days of scattered drizzle, and county officials said other areas near state Route 18 are experiencing flooding, though they are mostly uninhabited. 

Late in the afternoon, the National Weather Service issued a new flash flood warning for the Bloomington area, saying that by Thursday morning the Virgin River there is expected to crest at nearly 19 feet and flood waters will threaten homes in Bloomington Park. That would be the highest at the Man O War Bridge since the river crested at 17 feet in January 2008, but is still less than the 26-foot crest recorded in the January 2005 floods.

Further downstream the Virgin River past Arizona, by 6:30 p.m., flooding was complicating the commute between St. George and Las Vegas. Past Mesquite, Interstate 15 flooded, forcing its closure at Logandale/Overton exit in both directions.

Back up in Enterprise, officials reported the Lower Enterprise Reservoir had risen a foot in about in hour around 5 p.m. to 24 feet. That’s two feet below where the reservoir could spill over and threaten the town itself.

Local officials have been worried since January that a large snowpack combined with a steady rainfall could create conditions similar to the 2005 Santa Clara flood that swept away homes and caused more than $225 million in damage. 

But by noon, even while the river was raging five miles away, city workers remained on standby next to calmer waters. And Jason Bradley, emergency operations manager for Washington County, told St. George News that wasn’t an accident. 

The Santa Clara River below the Clary Bridge as of 12 p.m., Santa Clara, Utah, March 15, 2023 | Photo by Chris Reed, St. George News

“The water kind of just blows out into open areas so it doesn’t blow into Santa Clara like it used to,” Bradley said of efforts since 2005 to lessen the blow of flood waters coming down the Santa Clara River. “We’re hopeful with all the mitigation that’s gone on throughout the last few years, we will be able to make it through this.”

Santa Clara Mayor Rick Rosenberg, in his other job leading Rosenberg Associates, has been the project manager on many of the mitigation efforts. Even as his city workers saw the river as being corralled, Rosenberg said he still had concerns that the worst was still coming. 

“The flood has not reached the city yet. Maybe in an hour or two, “ Rosenberg said around 11 a.m. “Current flows are manageable but now the reservoirs are full. We will have to monitor conditions throughout the runoff period.”

Just before 2 p.m. Wednesday, the water started rising and raging below the Clary Bridge. By 6 p.m., river water filled the entire ravine. A little downstream, Lava Flow Drive and its bridge were flooded over next to Sunbrook Golf Club in St. George.

That point was underscored at the Gunlock Reservoir, where Gunlock Falls saw torrents of choppy water, and officials were closing off some areas as needed because of debris coming off the spillway.

Far down the river at Mathis Park next to Dixie Drive, St. George workers and an excavator were also at the ready. 

“We do have crews ready to remove debris if it impedes flow, in particular along the Santa Clara,” St. George spokesman David Cordero said. 

For residents at risk, Cordero said free sandbags can be picked up at the Reuse Center at 575 E. Brigham Road near Desert Hills High School. 

The Santa Clara River below the Clary Bridge as of 2 p.m., Santa Clara, Utah, March 15, 2023 | Photo by Chris Reed, St. George News

The same option is available for Santa Clara and Ivins residents at the Santa Clara-Ivins Fire Station, Santa Clara-Ivins Fire Chief Andrew Parker said. 

For those who live near the rivers in Washington County, Bradley said the time is now to be ready to leave at a moment’s notice. 

“If they believe they’re at risk, they need to take proactive steps,” Bradley said of local residents near rivers and streams. “Make sure to have a place to go if you have to and consider sandbags, especially if they’ve had problems in the past.”

On the Virgin River, the weather service said Wednesday morning that it was possible that the river in the Bloomington area may reach flood stage in the next 24 hours. “Trail closed” signs could be seen next to the Man O War Bridge.

As of 2 p.m., St. George closed the Middleton Wash Trail, the Halfway Wash Trail tunnel at Royal Oaks Park and the trail from Bloomington to Sun River.

The Virgin River could also be seen flowing rapidly next to Sullivan Soccer Park in Washington City. 

Wet weather has been a constant theme further north in Enterprise the last few days. 

Enterprise Fire Chief Brenden Moody said the bridges on Center Street and 100 South have flooded over. However, he adds, the rest of the city is handling the water well.

“Over the washes is where it’s flooding. The city streets are handling it quickly,” Moody said. “Weather has been a constant stream the last couple of days.”

The Santa Clara River below the Clary Bridge as of 6 p.m., Santa Clara, Utah, March 15, 2023 | Photo by Chris Reed, St. George News

Moody said Tuesday night, a vehicle tried to cross one of the flooding wash overpasses and was swept into the wash. He added both the passengers and the vehicle itself were removed safely. 

The way the county’s emergency manager puts it,  a brain drain might be the only reason to be around the local rivers, streams and washes – or the Gunlock Falls area. 

“Hopefully people don’t do that. It’s just not smart,” Bradley said. “ You should stay away from spillways and trails near the rivers. Our rivers are close. Things change from moment to moment so let’s cross our fingers.”

This is a developing story.

St. George News reporters Layce Lundy and Vin Cappiello contributed to this story.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2023, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Chris Reed serves as a reporter for St. George News, where he has been honored with several awards from the Society of Professional Journalists for his work, including first-place accolades. He started his journalism career as a sports reporter and editor in Southern California where he once compared shoe sizes with Shaquille O'Neal and exchanged mix tapes with members of the Los Angeles Kings. After growing up in the San Fernando Valley learning karate skills from Mr. Miyagi and spending a decade in Las Vegas mostly avoiding the casinos, he came to St. George for love and married his soulmate, a lifetime Southern Utah resident. He is the proud father of two boys, his youngest a champion against both autism and Type 1 diabetes.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGNews

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