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Samantha Hayes ReportingAs it warms up this week, many may also face flooding concerns. But more water has created another hazard geologists are concerned about: landslides are threatening more homes.
Back to back years of high groundwater mean landslides that hadn't budged for years are starting to inch along again. In fact, state geologists say most east bench communities -- new and established-- have some potential for this problem.
You might never believe that under this manicured back yard there are several reinforced steel beams, until you peak behind the fence. Now you can see why. The satellite dish, probably 50 feet downhill, was at one time on our camera's level.
The homeowner says he spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to keep the land that is there in place, including a cement wall. He asked to remain anonymous over concern the house could be difficult to resell.
His is not a new development. In fact, this canyon is City Creek and this landslide, like hundreds of others identified along the Wasatch front, is monitored by geologists.
Francis Ashland, State Geologist: "Many landslides that are not currently active were damaging in the 1990's, those homeowners are still living in them."
Landslides can move slow, just inches a year, or at lightning speed. A recent one shoved a South Weber home off its foundation.
Francis Ashland: "We are seeing active landsliding in Morgan, Utah, Davis, Salt Lake, Weber counties. Almost all, we are seeing some landsliding."
And along the east bench and back side of the Wasatch Front, there are many more homes standing in the way.
Francis Ashland: "There's a wider area of increased vulnerability as more development occurs; we are seeing whole subdivisions built on landslides."
The state issued a landslide forecast advisory to the emergency management community this spring, based on snowpack, climate, and data collected from monitored landslides.
