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CEDAR HILLS, Utah (AP) -- A landslide that forced four families in Cedar Hills to abandon their townhomes in April 2005 appears to be on the move again.
Gary Christenson, of the Utah Geological Survey geologic hazards program, said the slide shows signs that it is creeping downhill, and the rate of movement could increase this spring.
The base of the 375-foot long, 150-foot wide slide piled up against the townhomes last year, damaging the buildings' foundations.
"There certainly is a chance that it will move again as the snow melts and the water table rises," Christenson told the Daily Herald of Provo. "It is very likely. The question is how much."
The vacant townhomes' foundations are keeping the slide from moving further into the neighborhood, he said. Crews monitor the site once a month, measuring the size of cracks in the earth and groundwater levels for signs of increased risks.
The land is private property, and Cedar Hills is not involved in efforts to stabilize the slope and is not paying for the effort, said City Manager Konrad Hildebrandt.
"We've worked with the developer and geotech company and all those people who have worked to resolve this issue," Hildebrandt said. "I don't know the future of the site. Obviously the city won't let any residential construction happen there."
Stabilizing the slide likely means leaving the concrete foundation of the townhomes there permanently to block it, Hildebrandt said.
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
