GRAND CANYON, Ariz. - Grand Canyon National Park hosted its latest community meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 8, at the Shrine of the Ages Auditorium.
During the hour-long session, the local Type II Incident Management Team and topic experts briefed residents on the latest flood response efforts, local water supply levels and current Stage 4 water restrictions.
What we know:
Grand Canyon National Park crews are continuing response and recovery operations following an Aug. 29 flash flood in Bright Angel Canyon and the Phantom Ranch area, park officials said.
Search teams remain active while crews assess infrastructure, stabilize affected areas and work to restore a reliable water supply to the South Rim. Officials said they expect the restoration of water service to take weeks, rather than months.
Crews are beginning construction this week on a temporary water intake at Bright Angel Creek to replace the facility destroyed by the flood. Engineers are in the canyon designing the temporary system, which is intended to pump roughly 500 gallons per minute—matching its pre-flood capacity. The existing Transcanyon Waterline contract was modified to support the project. Once operational, the temporary intake will move water through the new Transcanyon Waterline system to replenish South Rim storage while workers construct a permanent intake.
The flood caused extensive damage to the legacy pipeline, including about 40% of the pipe between Phantom Ranch and the North Rim. The Bright Angel Creek and Roaring Springs intake areas were also heavily damaged.
New pipeline infrastructure on the south side of the canyon was not damaged. The park was just over a month away from launching the new system prior to the flood and is now accelerating efforts to bring it online.
Grand Canyon shuts off water along Bright Angel Trail after fatal flash floods
The Grand Canyon shut off potable water at several Bright Angel Trail rest stops to conserve the South Rim's limited supply following severe flooding.
Dig deeper:
Electrical service needed for the temporary intake project has been restored, debris removal is underway and crews are preparing the site for construction.
At the new South Rim water treatment plant, testing and commissioning work is being accelerated. The National Park Service is collaborating with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality to meet safety requirements and bring the plant online as quickly as possible.
Water conservation remains critical as the South Rim relies on stored supplies. During the latest operational period, stored water levels dropped about 0.37 feet, compared with a normal daily drop of about 0.7 feet. Current conservation measures are saving roughly 137,000 gallons of potable water per day. Park officials urge residents, employees, visitors and local businesses to continue conserving.
Teams are monitoring the distribution system for leaks. Officials noted that some repairs require flushing portions of the system, which can consume more water than the leak itself loses. Crews are evaluating each leak individually to maximize water preservation.
To offset demand, officials deployed portable drinking water tanks, bottled water, handwashing stations, portable showers, laundry facilities and portable toilets across the community. Five 2,500-gallon water tanks are in place, with more planned, and over 13,500 gallons of drinking water have been staged on the South Rim.
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The park is exploring options to supplement the water supply. Any added water must meet specific chemical compatibility and quality standards, and the NPS is consulting with state environmental officials and potential suppliers.
South Rim tap water remains safe to drink, and no boil-water advisory is in effect.
Both the South and North Rims remain open. Visitors should anticipate modified operations and inner-canyon closures, check current park conditions before traveling, bring their own drinking water and conserve water during their visit.
Search operations continue for one person missing since the flood. Search teams are focusing on the delta area near Phantom Ranch, while river patrol crews are searching downstream along the Colorado River.
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The Source: Information in this report was gathered from Grand Canyon National Park; National Park Service; and Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.