Flood warning in place for South Fork of Ogden River as water levels expected to peak

OGDEN — A flood warning remained in place Thursday night for the South Fork of the Ogden River, where waters were expected to peak soon, as homeowners in Huntsville were fighting rising groundwater.

The South Fork of the Ogden River was overflowing onto fields as it made its way toward Pineview Reservoir, and those with property along the river were preparing for the rise in water expected as early as Thursday night.

“We’re trying to keep some of the erosion from taking the shore away,” said cabin owner Larry Maurer. “Now we’re trying to just protect the cabin and get the river flowing downstream rather than inward. The cabin’s never flooded before so we think we’ll be OK. But this is a different year from all years.”

Home and cabin owners have been filling and piling sandbags nonstop to protect their properties along state Route 39.

Minor flooding was expected in and around Huntsville. Weber County emergency management officials said they expect the river to rise another foot Thursday night or Friday morning once water starts flowing over the spillway at Causey Reservoir.

The river isn’t the only problem residents around here are facing. For others, it’s rising groundwater.

“Last year the water table peaked in June, so it could be another month or two of pumping. Hopefully we can get some permanent solutions in before then because right now we have to get up every two hours during the night to keep gas in the pumps,” said Huntsville resident Mark Ashby. “It’s just bubbling up right through the cracks. Anywhere it can find a place it’s coming in.”

Ashby said the water started entering his basement three weeks ago, overwhelming the sump pump in the house that’s only a few years old. Neighbors were having the same issues.

Ashby had to remove the furnace and water heater from the basement. Insurance won’t cover the cost, so he’s out thousands of dollars.

Wednesday night they turned the pumps off. When they awoke Thursday, they had 40 inches of water in the basement.

He’s hoping they can get the basement dry by installing three larger and permanent sump pumps.

The next flooding update will come from the National Weather Service at noon Friday.

Related reading:

• Garden City official declares state of emergency, due to flooding
• Parks are flooding but it is by design