The 60-foot crack in the Panguitch Lake Dam in Utah is leaking, officials said on Wednesday, after an urgent warning was issued alerting residents of potential dam failure.
The crack was discovered on Monday, prompting the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) to declare it a Level 2 Emergency, meaning there is potential for dam failure. A flash-flood watch was issued for parts of Utah after officials discovered the fracture.
Officials continue monitoring the dam, and if the split upgrades to a Level 3, dam failure is imminent. Under a Level 3, evacuations will begin.
Utah Department of Natural Resources
Ice and high water levels are to blame for the crack, said Allen Henrie, president of West Panguitch Irrigation Company, which owns and operates the dam.
“Ice got under that cap and lifted it a little bit, and that’s where it’s leaking,” he told The Salt Lake Tribune.
Newsweek reached out to Henrie via phone for comment on Thursday.
After the split formed, water began pouring into the creek downstream, The Independent reported. The Utah Department of Natural Resources said that officials are “releasing water from the reservoir to draw the level down as a risk mitigation measure,” although that effort could take days. Boulders also were moved to block the fracture.
The damage still doesn’t warrant evacuations, although officials urged residents to be prepared, just in case. The risk of the dam breaking has lightened since the mitigation efforts began.
“As the risk of the dam breaching is reduced, the need for evacuation is also reduced,” said Wade Mathews, public information officer for the Utah Department of Public Safety, according to The Salt Lake Tribune. “However, we are still asking people to be on alert and be ready, should the circumstances of the situation change.”
The crack was identified after Utah dams received a C+ grade from the Utah Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers in 2020. The grade implies that Utah infrastructure was “mediocre” and needed attention, according to a report by ABC 4.
The GCSO urged people in the impacted areas to stay informed, familiarize themselves with evacuation routes, ensure their emergency kits including food, water, prescriptions and important documents are ready, and inform friends and family residing in the evacuation area. If the evacuations are necessary, residents should proceed east toward Hatch, Utah.
Newsweek reached out to the GCSO via email for comment on Thursday.
A flash flood watch was still in place in the area and will remain until further notice.
“Dam failure may result in flash flooding of low-lying areas below the dam including the west side of the city of Panguitch,” the National Weather Service (NWS) said.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.