Flash Flood in Washington County, Utah

Multiple rounds of heavy rainfall brought flash flooding to Zion National Park, including along North Creek, but the most notable flood occurred in Keyhole Canyon. A group of seven people entered Keyhole Canyon in the early afternoon, planning to travel through the small but popular canyoneering route. Flooding in Keyhole Canyon occurred quickly; no one in the group was able to escape the canyon or get to higher ground, and the flood killed all seven individuals. The seven victims were between 51 and 59 years old.

Flooding was again widespread across Washington County, with floods reported in Enterprise, Ivins, Santa Clara, St. George, and Springdale, among others. Most rivers and washes in the area experienced flooding, with particularly high flows in the Beaver Dam Wash and the Virgin River. Rock and mud slides were common across the area, temporarily closing several highways across the county. Flooding also occurred across much of Zion National Park, with the park closing for a period of time due to flooding and debris on roadways. This flooding included in the popular Narrows section of the park, where two hikers were stranded by the flood waters; one of the hikers escaped to safety, but the other, a 34-year-old male, died in the flood. ||In Enterprise, many roadways flooded, and a few businesses were damaged by flood waters. In Ivins, a few homes near 600 S and 400 W experienced flooding. In St. George, damage was most severe at the Southgate Golf Course, with the majority of holes inundated with water.

Flows increased on the North Fork of the Virgin River in Zion National Park. The trail became impassable near the mouth of The Narrows. Flood waters in The Narrows swept some hikers off their feet and isolated others on higher ground. Two people were swept downstream. One was swept a couple of hundred yards and found. The individual survived with minor injuries. The other was reported as missing to Zion National Park officials later that evening, and was found deceased the following Monday. The North Fork Virgin – Springdale river gauge, which is downstream from The Narrows, rose from approximately 75 cfs to 735 cfs, corresponding to a rise of slightly over 2 feet in height.