Grand Canyon flooding knocks out water pipeline serving tourists at the national park, officials say

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FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — A major flash flood at the Grand Canyon forced the evacuation of dozens of people and swept large boulders, metal structures and other debris into the Colorado River that runs through it, the National Park Service said. Flooding also knocked out the sole water pipeline that serves tourists and residents at the national park, officials said late Sunday.

Starting Monday, tourists won’t be able to stay overnight at lodges and hotels within Grand Canyon National Park. The park is also asking residents who live there year-round to conserve water.

“These measures are crucial for ensuring the safety and sustainability of water resources,” the park said in a statement.

The flooding in Bright Angel Creek, which flows into the river, happened Saturday afternoon and has left the park service seeking information about 15 people who may be missing or unaccounted for. Torrents of water wiped out footbridges over the creek and significantly altered the landscape, widening the creek bed and creating what appeared to be a new river rapid.

As the park service tries to account for everyone in the area, it is asking asked anyone with details about people hiking or camping there to get in touch. It said it was working with the Arizona Department of Public Safety to continue evacuations Sunday.

“This is a reminder of what a dynamic and active landscape Grand Canyon is,” said Jack Schmidt, director of the Center for Colorado River Studies at Utah State University.

Popular tourist spots including the Bright Angel Campground, Phantom Ranch and parts of the North Kaibab trail remained closed on Sunday while park officials surveyed the damage, the park said. Rafting trips on the Colorado River also have been halted for now.

More than 60 people were evacuated from Phantom Ranch, which has a historic canteen and dorms, and is a common spot for rafters to get off and on the river. No injuries have been reported.

Erica Viola said she was at Bright Angel Campground when the rain started Saturday afternoon, and she and about 50 other hikers watched the creek rise and then debris start to flow by, including what looked like a bunkhouse. The group was taken by helicopter to safety, ending her adventure two days early, she said.

Parth Desai was hiking through a narrow passage in Bright Angel Canyon with a group of fellow physicians and a park ranger when the downpour started.

“We saw the creek flood, waterfalls coming up out of nowhere, boulders, mud, landslides happening everywhere,” he said.

Later, as they made their way toward Phantom Ranch, a colleague shouted “Up, Up, Up, Up!” as a 4-foot (1-meter) debris wall headed toward them and they ran up into a patch of cacti, he said. They were finally rescued by helicopter that evening after making it to the Phantom Ranch area, he said.

About half an inch to 1 inch (1 centimeter to 2.5 centimeters) of rain fell within about 30 minutes in the rocky area where there’s a steep drop in elevation, said National Weather Service meteorologist Justin Johndrow in Flagstaff.

“Most of it ran off instantly,” Johndrow said.

He said the flooding happened on the north side of the Grand Canyon, where Bright Angel Creek comes from the North Rim down to the Colorado River, dropping around 6,000 feet (1,828 meters).

More rain and thunderstorms were possible for the area into Monday.

Halting overnight stays at the park because of water supply issues is rare, although the pipeline has experienced frequent failures over the years as it has long exceeded its expected life span.

The shutdown of the park's sole pipeline is a blow to Grand Canyon's efforts to modernize water infrastructure. A $208 million rehabilitation of the pipeline and upgrades to the associated water delivery system started in 2023, with the park service calling it a crucial investment to ensure the park can meet the needs of residents and visitors. The project is expected to be completed in 2027.

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Stengle reported from Dallas. Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina, and in Holly Ramer in Concord, New Hampshire, also contributed.