2 rescued from southern Utah reservoir that received a rare fall surge

GUNLOCK, Washington County — Authorities in southwest Utah are urging visitors to be careful around a reservoir that received an unlikely boost from heavy downpours over the past few weeks.

Two people were rescued near the Gunlock Reservoir waterfalls on Monday after their vehicle, a Toyota Tacoma pickup truck, became stuck as they tried to cross the river, according to Washington County Sheriff Search and Rescue.

"As water began entering the vehicle's cab, the occupants called 911 for assistance. While emergency responders were en route, both individuals climbed onto the roof of their vehicle to escape the rising water," the agency wrote in a social media post.

Personnel from the team, along with a handful of local firefighting agencies, carried out a swift-water rescue operation to save a male and female, whose names and ages were not released.

The rescue followed a rare fall surge in the reservoir over the past few days. Gunlock Reservoir surged from 37% capacity last month to 109% as of Tuesday, according to the Utah Division of Water Resources.

It typically gets a minor bump from fall moisture, rising from 57% capacity to 58%, per the state's median monthly average. Last year, its levels jumped from 24% capacity to 38%.

Several mountain locations near the reservoir received more than 8 inches of precipitation between Oct. 1 and Nov. 1, which contributed into this year's sharp rise. Utah's reservoirs usually refill from spring snowmelt.

The heavy rainfall has also led to flooding in other parts of the state, especially in southeast Utah.

A weak storm will pass through northern, central and eastern Utah on Wednesday, bringing some light valley rain and mountain snow, but it shouldn't deliver anything like the past few weeks, said KSL meteorologist Devan Masciulli.

Long-range forecasts show no indication of high-pressure ridging that will stop the stormy activity beyond the seven-day forecast.

Additional flooding is possible with any additional storms while record-high soil moisture levels persist across the state. Washington County Sheriff's officials say Monday's rescue is a reminder to be careful near higher water levels.

"Rivers and waterways can be extremely unpredictable, particularly when water levels are elevated," they wrote. "Even familiar crossings can quickly become dangerous due to strong currents, changing depths and unstable riverbeds. Never attempt to drive through swift-moving water."

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