Residents fill hundreds of sandbags in Sugar House as flooding comes down 1700 South

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — Multiple homes were under voluntary evacuation orders as floodwaters and runoff from Emigration Creek hit the Sugar House area Wednesday night.

The Salt Lake City Fire Department worked to alert around 40 homes in the area of 1700 South between 1500 East and 1700 East.

Salt Lake City and county officials overnight expanded the area to include residents on both the north and south sides of Glen Arbor Street, the south side of Blaine Avenue between 1500 East and 1600 East, and residents of Downington Circle.

“The voluntary evacuation is due to the possibility a nearby culvert drainage pipe could clog, causing the nearby creek to overflow,” Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall tweeted early Thursday morning.

The flooding brought community members toting shovels to help prevent homes from flooding, as Mendenhall estimated 1,000 volunteers answered the call to help with sandbags.

An evacuation shelter was set up at a meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, located at 2215 E. Roosevelt Avenue. City leaders said no one was using the shelter as of Thursday morning but it could reopen if needed.

Truckloads of sandbags are en route.

Water is rushing through the street.

⚠️May be self explanatory… but we’re seeing drivers trying to drive through the water.

PD are advising public NOT to cross yellow tape OR drive over sandbags! @slcpd @KSL5TV @slcfire pic.twitter.com/MuaRC9EYog

— Karah Brackin (@kbontv) April 13, 2023

Mendenhall thanked neighbors, firefighters and police officers for responding to the emergency and said there were “people of all ages” there to help.

“We put the call out to our community, and as always, the Salt Lakers showed up,” Salt Lake City Police Chief Mike Brown said.

A flood warning remained in effect for Emigration Creek through early Thursday afternoon. The National Weather Service said it seems like the creek has crested and is on its way down. Cooler weather Thursday will help decrease the threat of flooding, but emergency crews said some morning rain could complicate cleanup efforts.

According to Sgt. Melody Cutler with the Unified Police Department, Emigration Canyon is open but restricted to residents only during cleanup.

Latest hydrograph from Emigration Peak. Blue line shows the observed stage & the green line shows the @nwscbrfc forecast. It seems the creek has crested and is on its way back down. Cooler temperatures with the cold front will help to decrease the threat of flooding today. #utwx pic.twitter.com/PYjblBmYGR

— NWS Salt Lake City (@NWSSaltLakeCity) April 13, 2023

Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall tweeted a photo showing some of the erosion from this flooding. City leaders urged bikers and others to avoid the area while crews inspect infrastructure and sidewalks.

They also asked for volunteers to help fill more sandbags around 1:30 p.m. The city will announce additional locations and volunteer opportunities to help prepare sandbags for other parts of the city at a future time.

9:15 am update: Water has slowed this morning. Here is an update with @slcpu Director Laura Briefer pic.twitter.com/2MBqqUCHRD

— Mayor Erin Mendenhall (@slcmayor) April 13, 2023