Grantsville neighbors pleading for help after years of flooding

GRANTSVILLE — Residents in the Wells Crossing neighborhood are calling on city leaders to address recurring flooding problems after heavy rain in September damaged homes and properties. They said the flooding issues date back several years.

Several residents of the Wells Crossing subdivision shared their concerns during public comment at a Grantsville City Council meeting Wednesday, saying flooding has affected dozens of homes over the past several years.

Residents raised their concerns during the public comment period. Grantsville Mayor Heidi Hammond and city council members listened and took notes, but informed community members they wouldn't be having a back-and-forth discussion with them, as it wasn't a formal agenda item.

Rain on Sept. 18 flooded about 10 homes in the neighborhood, according to residents.

Homeowner Kerry Jones said water entered her basement after breaking through a window. She wasn't home at the time.

"People were asking if they could come check my basement, so I let them in, and they said that the water had broken my basement window and it was just pouring in, and it was up to the first stair of my basement stairs," Jones said.

Residents said the September flooding is just the latest example of an ongoing issue. Jones, who moved into the neighborhood in March, said she was unaware of the flooding history before purchasing her home.

"There's probably more than 50 houses over the past five years that have had issues with flooding," she said.

Concerned homeowners, including Wes Russell, started researching city and county records to better understand the problem. The group compiled a timeline of documented issues with flooding, drainage decisions and other relevant topics.

"Records dating back to 2020–2021 document concerns about drainage infrastructure, runoff entering the subdivision from surrounding land and measures intended to manage that water," Russell wrote in an email to KSL. "In August 2024, city council members specifically discussed flooding in Wells Crossing and questioned its cause."

They argue drainage infrastructure outlined in development plans was never fully completed.

"We're supposed to have a drainage plan. We're supposed to have a drainage swale, along with check dams. That doesn't exist because it's undeveloped," resident Mike White said to city council Wednesday.

Residents said runoff from a field behind the subdivision contributed to the flooding on Sept. 18. They pointed to Nygreen Street, an undeveloped section bordering the field, as a particular point of issue with flooding. They said inadequate drainage infrastructure and blocked storm drains have worsened the problem.

"It just comes down to there's not the correct drainage in the subdivision," Jones said. "Just get a mini (excavator) or something out there. It should be one day of work just digging like trenches and berms and stuff back there to help support our houses."

Homeowners are asking the city to improve drainage infrastructure and address maintenance concerns to prevent future flooding. They said they are not trying to assign blame but want a long-term solution.

"Just hoping that they will have open ears and just listen and be willing to try to come up with a solution," Jones said.

In the meantime, some residents have built their own berms and trenches to help protect their properties and are continuing cleanup efforts from last month's storm.

"The city has talked about approving an additional 5,000 to 6,000 homes, but before they do that, we're hoping that they'll take care of the people that are suffering with this," Russell said.

Speakers at the city council meeting urged their leaders to formally discuss the issue on public record at a meeting in the near future.

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