11 inches of rain halts Houston, so what would it do in northern Utah?


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SALT LAKE CITY — Eleven inches of rain brought Houston to a halt in a series of torrential storms that brought devastation to areas of Texas and Oklahoma, and water-watchers and emergency managers fear a similar, major rain event would leave behind widespread destruction if a storm hit the Wasatch Front.

“Every waterway would be overwhelmed, we would have widespread flooding, we’d have damage, we’d have infrastructure problems,” National Weather Service hydrologist Brian McInerney said. “The speed of the water would be something we’ve never seen before, so we would have most likely fatalities just due to drowning.”

While such a rain event would be extremely rare, McInerney pointed to January 2005 in Southern Utah as evidence that it has happened in the state and can happen again. At that time, heavy rains caused the Santa Clara River and other waterways to swell and flood, leading to the destruction of more than two dozen homes in Santa Clara and surrounding communities.

“That was 12 inches of precipitation in 72 hours, and it caused that type of havoc,” McInerney said.

McInerney said if 12 inches of rain fell during that short of a time over northern Utah, it would be a similar story in Provo, Salt Lake City and Ogden, and potentially even Logan.

“We could even replicate what we saw in 1983 in a pretty quick fashion,” McInerney said. “It wouldn’t last as long, and that’s because it’s a rain-driven event.”

In 1983, the state saw a number of water-related problems, including runoff from the mountains pushing City Creek over its banks and down State Street as May temperatures soared.


Every waterway would be overwhelmed, we would have widespread flooding, we'd have damage, we'd have infrastructure problems.

–Brian McInerney, National Weather Service hydrologist


“Flooding is always on our minds,” said Joe Dougherty, spokesman for the Utah Division of Emergency Management. “Sometimes it will be catastrophic, and so that’s why we work so hard to prepare.”

Though nobody knows when that rare, extreme storm may hit, Dougherty said it’s important for people – especially if they live close to rivers and other waterways – to be prepared, have supplies on hand and consider family evacuation plans.

Dougherty also encouraged homeowners to check out floodsmart.gov and learn why flood insurance might make sense.

“Everyone in the state who lives near a body of water — such as a river — should expect that they could experience flooding at some point,” Dougherty said.

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