ST. GEORGE — Receding flood waters in Utah's Dixie on Wednesday left emergency officials with fewer problems than originally feared.
Washington County spokesman Marc Mortensen said that most of the danger was isolated to flash floods in dry washes and streambeds in the northern part of the county. The typically dry, desert area had soaked in more than 10 inches of rain in the past three days.
The only reported damage to houses in Southern Utah were some flooded basements in Enterprise, about 40 miles northwest of St. George, Mortensen said. The waters are from Shoal Creek, which is a tributary of the Santa Clara River.
By Wednesday evening, the creek had receded significantly, Mortensen said. Residents were being allowed to use the bridge.
Some small bridges were destroyed by flood waters, including one on a dirt road that accesses the Enterprise Reservoir. Two footbridges on golf courses in St. George were also lost. The washouts prompted precautionary evacuations in areas of New Harmony.
"We might get stranded there," New Harmony resident Rebecca White said. "I don't think we're in any danger of flooding, but whether we can come and go, I don't know."
In Washington City, sandbags surrounded homes near the Virgin River, where water levels dropped to about 6 or 7 feet Wednesday.
Across the border, residents in Littlefield, Ariz., remained on high alert as river levels were not expected to peak until Thursday. Waters continued to rise Wednesday, taking volumes higher than Tuesday's peak flow, which worried officials and prompted additional evacuations.
At least six homes on Clark Gable Drive, within the Beaver Dam Resort area, were destroyed by the flooding while four or five more were left in danger Wednesday evening. About a dozen more had been damaged by the rising waters, either partially collapsing them or submerging portions in the muddy water.
Concrete traffic barriers were being put into place to control some of the flows impacting residential areas, according to Mohave County spokesman Darryle Purcell.
"It is a mess," said Lois Rolfsmeyer, a resident of Beaver Dam Resort, Wednesday afternoon. "The water is going to take our next-door neighbor's house and the one behind us, and it's eroding under our house."
The structures were among about 180 homes and trailers in the RV park, which is an established golf course community in the northwest corner of Arizona, between Utah and Nevada, with a population between 3,500 and 5,000 people.
"It makes me cry, … such a waste, and no way to avoid it," said Pat Dent, another resident of the area. "Nothing you can do but deal with it."
County officials bussed supervised inmates to the area to help with sandbagging Wednesday as the community braced for more rain and neighbors helped each other pack up belongings.
"We live in a great neighborhood; people take care of each other. It could be worse," Dent said. "Hold your breath, wait until it's over."
The same area flooded in 2005, when less rain water accumulation was recorded, but improvements to the riverbeds then prevented more damage this time around. More than 20 homes in the area were damaged or destroyed that year.
"We are very appreciative of the efforts of everyone who has helped manage the effects of this flood to date," said Washington County Sheriff Kirk Smith. "We are grateful no lives have been lost."
He asked local residents to continue to be vigilant because, "The storm isn't over, yet."
The road to Rockville has been reopened and most residents have returned to their homes. Both reservoirs in Enterprise are full and being monitored while nearby dams reportedly remained stable.
Most paved roads in Washington County are open except for Old Highway 91, from the Shivwitz Reservation to Beaver Dam, Gunlock Road and Shoal Creek Road.
I-15 remained open to traffic and officials cautioned travelers to avoid problem areas and back roads, leaving them accessible to emergency vehicles.
The flooding forced the closure of Zion National Park Tuesday, and the park remained mostly closed Wednesday. The south entrance and visitor center, both near Springdale, opened Wednesday afternoon.
Park officials said in a news release that the park will partially reopen Thursday. That includes the Zion Lodge and Watchman Campground.
State Route 9, which goes through the entire park, will remain closed from the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive to the east entrance. It closed Monday after a 300-foot section on the upper plateau of the park was washed out by heavy rain.
Contributing: Associated Press
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