Grand Canyon flash flood severs South Rim water

Grand Canyon National Park said flash flooding in Bright Angel Canyon on August 29 damaged the Transcanyon Waterline that supplies water to the South Rim, forcing Stage 4 water restrictions and shutting overnight lodging beginning August 31. The park said the South Rim remains open for day use, but hotels closed and only dry camping is permitted while water reserves are conserved. The National Park Service said the flooding also closed Phantom Ranch and the North Kaibab Trail in the inner canyon. Later media reports, citing park and local officials, said at least two people died and about 80 people were rescued or evacuated after the flood. ### Why did a flood in the inner canyon cut water on the South Rim? The Transcanyon Waterline carries water from Roaring Springs on the North Rim across the canyon to developed areas, including the South Rim, according to Grand Canyon National Park. The park said the August 29 flooding caused extensive damage to infrastructure in the inner canyon, including that pipeline, leaving the waterline non-operational and forcing emergency conservation measures. (nps.gov) August 31 was the date the park said Stage 4 restrictions would begin at noon on the South Rim. Under those restrictions, overnight accommodations closed, dry camping replaced regular camping operations, and visitors and residents were asked to conserve water while food service, the clinic and the post office stayed open. ### What happened in Bright Angel Canyon on August 29? (nps.gov) The National Park Service said a significant flash-flood event began in Bright Angel Canyon and the Phantom Ranch area at about 2:30 p.m. on August 29. As of the morning of August 30, the park said 62 people had been evacuated from Phantom Ranch and the lower North Kaibab Trail, with additional evacuations planned from Cottonwood Campground and Phantom Ranch. (nps.gov) September 1 coverage from SFGATE, citing the National Park Service, said a second body had been found after the flood. The same report said about 15 people were still unaccounted for at that stage. Reuters could not independently verify those figures from an updated park release in the search results reviewed here. ### Which parts of the park are closed, and what is still open? (nps.gov) The South Rim is open for day visitors, the park said in its alerts and emergency information pages. Overnight lodging on the South Rim closed beginning August 31, and the park’s lodging page says the waterline is not operational, leaving limited water reserves and requiring significant conservation measures. Phantom Ranch and the North Kaibab Trail were closed after the flood, according to the National Park Service. (sfgate.com) The inner canyon corridor was also affected by emergency response and evacuation operations. ### How unusual is this waterline problem? August 5 was the date of a separate Grand Canyon water-conservation notice tied to another break in the Transcanyon Waterline, about one mile below Cottonwood Campground. (nps.gov) The park said then that water could not be pumped to the South Rim, underscoring how dependent park operations are on a pipeline that has had repeated failures even before the flood damage. (nps.gov) Engineering News-Record reported on September 1 that the flooding hit while a $208 million replacement project for the Transcanyon Waterline was nearing completion. The report said federal officials had already projected increased post-fire runoff in the watershed. ### Where should visitors look for the next update? Grand Canyon National Park said it would provide updates as soon as more information is available. (nps.gov) The park’s alerts page and news release page are carrying the latest notices on South Rim restrictions, lodging status and inner-canyon closures. September travel plans to the park now depend on those notices, because the South Rim remains open for day use while overnight lodging stays closed and repairs to the damaged water system continue. (enr.com) (nps.gov 1) (nps.gov 2)