Flooding Again Hits Iron County Towns

Areas of Iron County again received in excess of two inches of rain in a short time to fill streets with muddy water, overflowing in basements and buckling asphalt, Sunday. Damage centered in the Nichols Canyon and Fiddlers Canyon areas of Cedar City, as well as Enoch City.

NEWS RELEASE FROM ENCOH CITY:

FLOODING IN ENOCH CITY AFFECTS 200+ HOMES, ENOCH DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY

Between 2.5” and 4” of rain fell in one hour on the southeast and east half of Enoch City, Utah yesterday, accompanied by dime-size hail and strong winds. The water quickly overcame all the streets and storm drainage systems. Runoff from the same storm flowed in from the unpopulated mountainside east of Enoch City, through culverts under Interstate 15, and alfalfa fields, and all came into Enoch City neighborhoods.

 
Enoch is predominately a bedroom community directly adjacent to Cedar City, Utah, and it’s estimated at least 10 percent of the homes in Enoch were affected by the severe flooding, with at least 200 homes reporting damage. This assessment is ongoing. Some homes’ basements were filled to the ceiling with flood water. Flooded basements gradually overcharged the sewer collection system and backed up into numerous homes. 

Iron County Commissioners & Public Works, Cedar City Public Works, and hundreds of neighbors from Enoch City, Iron County, Cedar City, and surrounding communities came to Enoch City neighborhoods to assist with sandbagging work and pumping water out of basements. Hildale, Utah, a town who also experienced devastating flooding a few years ago, has brought in pumps to help residents pump water out of their homes. Local construction suppliers are delivering tons of sand to help with sandbagging efforts. Local fire departments continue to do damage assessment and pump basements.

 
Last night, Enoch Mayor Geoffrey Chestnut declared a State of Emergency for Enoch, which now joins the declarations of Iron County and Cedar City. These declarations allow for state support to help with mitigating and cleanup work from the flooding.

The Red Cross has set up at the former LDS Stake Center, which is located at on Midvalley Road in Enoch, right off Minersville Highway, at 451 East Midvalley Road, Enoch. Anyone needing assistance is urged to go to that location.

The culinary water has been unaffected by the storm and it is safe to drink the water.

(Photo: Enoch City)