Mayor issues emergency order after Sugar House flooding
Apr 13, 2023, 6:23 AM | Updated: 12:15 pm
Hundreds of volunteers built sandbags to help keep water from houses around 1700 East and 1500 South in Salt Lake City on Wednesday night. (Lindsay Aerts, KSL NewsRadio)
(Lindsay Aerts, KSL NewsRadio)
SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall issued an emergency order early Thursday morning as spring flooding continued in east Sugar House.
Tonight I signed an emergency order that will help the City support our residents amid spring flooding.
I appreciate our City and County teams for jumping into action quickly. It’s an honor to see Salt Lakers come out to help one other. pic.twitter.com/KvSbCSxUvN
— Mayor Erin Mendenhall (@slcmayor) April 13, 2023
Mendenhall has asked certain residents that live on Glen Arbor Street, Blaine Avenue, and Downington Circle to remain on alert and to consider voluntarily evacuating their homes.
Residents who live on Glen Arbor Street, both north and south sides, as well as residents who live on the south side of Blaine Avenue between 1500 E and 1600 E and residents of Downington Circle should be on alert and may wish to evacuate their homes at this time.
— Mayor Erin Mendenhall (@slcmayor) April 13, 2023
The problem leading the mayor to call for these voluntary evacuations involves the possibility of a clogged culvert drainage pipe.
The voluntary evacuation is due to the possibility a nearby culvert drainage pipe could clog, causing the nearby creek to overflow, which could potentially impact approximately 40 homes. Crews will monitor the culvert overnight.
— Mayor Erin Mendenhall (@slcmayor) April 13, 2023
The Red Cross of Utah is opening a flooding evacuation shelter in Salt Lake City at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints building near 2200 East and Roosevelt Ave. Anyone in need can come to the evacuation center or call the red cross for assistance.
Residents seeking shelter can go to the LDS church located at 2215 S Roosevelt (1445 E). Pets are not allowed at the shelter. Other residents who live nearby should avoid the area.
— Mayor Erin Mendenhall (@slcmayor) April 13, 2023
Meanwhile, hundreds of volunteers answered a call for help building sandbags on 1700 South and 1700 East.
An 11:00 p.m. update the water is a river flowing down 1700 South. Hundreds of people are still here filling sandbags.
They’re loading up sandbags in flatbed trucks to drive them west towards the end of the flow.
Coordinator is on a bullhorn giving instructions.@kslnewsradio pic.twitter.com/7t4uqgE6yE
— Lindsay Aerts (@LindsayOnAir) April 13, 2023
A sense of how fast the water was moving at 1500 East and 1700 South was provided in this video sent to KSL, shot by Ken Rasmussen around 9 p.m. on Wednesday night.
KSL Meteorologist Matt Johnson said that water flows are expected to lessen on Thursday as the high temperature moves closer to 50 degrees.
Related: Where to get sandbags to help mitigate possible flooding in Utah
