Runoff from mega snowpack cuts sidewalks into ravines, leaves roadways 'bubbling'

KAYSVILLE, Utah (KUTV) — Areas up and down the Wasatch Front were seeing flooding on Wednesday morning - most of which was due to debris blocking storm drains and causing Utah's ample spring runoff to back up.

Some neighborhoods had extreme damage, including one in Kaysville where the road was washed away and dumpsters were carried down the street, while others saw roadways transforming before their eyes as the earth from beneath was washed away by the water.

Reports began early April 12, as neighborhoods in Salt Lake, Davis and Weber Counties were all experiencing flood conditions, though some were far more severe than others.

In Davis County, At least 25 homes were evacuated in Kaysville after blocked storm drains left the neighborhood flooded and sinkholes in the street as spring runoff had nowhere else to go.

Kaysville Fire Department Chief Paul Erickson said the homes in the area of Orchard Ridge Lane and Mountain Road were evacuated when the excess water began gushing down the road, eroding away the street quickly and leaving sinkholes in its wake.

Erickson said in addition to the 25 homes that have been evacuated, homes under construction were in serious danger as the water cut away the road, eventually leaving deep ravines where there was pavement just hours before.

Residents later in the morning jumped into action to divert the water away from the sinkholes using sandbags, as the runoff continued flowing into the afternoon.

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Crews from multiple agencies responded to the scene, including Davis County Public Works and Davis County Sheriff's Office along with Kaysville's public works, parks & recreation, police and fire departments.

The Red Cross has established an evacuation shelter for the families affected.

Erickson said the road is a total loss and will likely have to be completely repaved.

Reports were also coming in of flooding in nearby Bountiful, where another neighborhood was dealing with Utah's record-breaking, melting snowpack.

Bountiful Police Lt. Dave Roberts said residents in the area of Vineyard Drive and Moss Hill Drive were seeing some flooding in the streets, also due to debris in a storm drain.

He said no damage has been reported.

Further south, the Salt Lake City Police and Fire departments were diverting floodwaters from the spring runoff in the area of 1700 South and 1500 East, where video showed a river of melted snowpack flowing through Wasatch Hollow, over stairs and through the parking lot as feet of water sprayed into the air from cars driving on nearby 1700 South.

An earlier version of this article erroneously identified the hollow as Sugar House Park.

No evacuations have been ordered in Salt Lake City.

SLCPD Chief Mike Brown posted a statement to Twitter about an hour after the department's first video, saying at least three homes were impacted, with residents dealing with water in their garages or basements.

"Fortunately, there doesn't appear to be any widespread flooding impact or threat," Brown tweeted. "Those on scene are helping community member."

Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall asked residents to do their part with the elevated level of spring melt, encouraging them to "adopt a storm drain." She said if residents see a storm drain in their neighborhood with debris on it, they can help prevent flooding not just in their own homes, but everyone else's if they put on some gardening gloves and clear the drain.

"It takes two minutes," she said during an April 10 press conference addressing the city's flood preparedness.

In nearby Kearns, residents got a realtime lesson into why drivers are told to never drive across a flooded street even if the road is clearly visible under shallow water.

What isn't visible is what's under the paved surface -- or what isn't.

Weber County was seeing drain-blocked flooding as well, where a neighborhood was closed when too much runoff hit the area at once.

Unlike Kaysville and Salt Lake City, there wasn't a gushing water situation in North Ogden. However, at least one home in the area had a flooded basement as a result.

North Ogden authorities were forced to close Fruitland Drive at 1700 North as the seeping floodwaters were rising.

The city asked residents in the area to use a different route Wednesday morning "while we work to get the runoff in this area under control."

Crews across Utah have been spending time clearing debris from waterways and drains in anticipation of heavy runoff, though it's extremely easy for anything washing city ditches to completely barricade drains against water, with litter like plastic shopping bags being especially problematic, since a single bag can effectively close off the majority of a storm drain's opening when it gets caught on the grate.

This article is being updated throughout the morning on Wednesday, April 12, as 2News continues gathering information on communities affected by the runoff, spurned by Tuesday's record-breaking temperatures.