Flooding prompts cleanup, community response

KANAB — Heavy monsoon thunderstorms on Wednesday, July 22, sent muddy floodwaters across portions of U.S. Highway 89, briefly covering lanes of traffic and leaving mud and debris behind as city crews, volunteers and the Kane County Sheriff’s Office worked to prepare for additional storms.

Left to right:

• Muddy floodwaters cover U.S. Highway 89 in Kanab following heavy monsoon storms on Wednesday, July 22. Photo by Don Jennings/Southern Utah News.

• Flooding in the La Estancia neighborhood in Kanab. Photo by TJ LeFevre.

Late afternoon downpours produced runoff that flowed across roadways in several areas of Kanab. Along the city’s main commercial corridor, vehicles slowed as muddy water crossed Highway 89 near Honey’s Marketplace and other businesses.

In the days that followed, Kanab City Public Works crews worked into the evening clearing culverts, removing mud from roads and excavating silt from the Little Tom’s Canyon stormwater channel to restore its capacity before the next round of monsoon weather.

“We are fortunate to have such a dedicated team serving our community,” the city said in a social media post thanking Public Works employees for their efforts. City officials noted that cleanup would take time but said crews were making steady progress removing storm debris and restoring affected areas.

Community volunteers also played a key role in the response. The city thanked youth from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for volunteering their time to help fill sandbags, as well as many other local residents. Every sandbag filled by volunteers before the storm was put to use protecting homes and infrastructure. Officials are continuing to encourage residents to help replenish sandbag supplies in preparation for future storms.

The Kane County Sheriff’s Office also assisted the effort. With help from the sheriff’s office work crew, nearly 600 additional sandbags were filled after the storm to help the community prepare for more monsoon activity.

Southern Utah’s monsoon season typically brings short-lived but intense thunderstorms capable of producing flash flooding with little warning. City officials encourage residents to stay alert for changing weather conditions and never drive through flooded roadways.