Sugar House Park filled with water over the weekend

SALT LAKE CITY — It’s been one flooded location after the next, and on Saturday, Sugar House Park was unrecognizable after filling up like a pool with water.

It wasn’t until Monday that traffic fully opened up to vehicles, and while some residents might be worried about future flooding, weather officials say it’s expected.

“We have really seen Sugar House Park fill up like this in many many years,” said Glen Merrill, a hydrologist for Utah’s National Weather Service.

Merrill explained that many Utahs parks are comparable to our reservoirs, in the purpose they serve, including Sugar House Park.

State of emergency declared in Salt Lake County as flooding hits Sugar House

“Sugar House Park is what’s called a detention basin, so it’s designed to hold storm runoff as safe as possible and then gradually release it over time to protect people and property downstream of that area,” he said. “If we were to grade Sugar House Park for doing the job it was built for and intended for, we should give it an ‘A.'”

While the water is temporarily stored in intentional pockets around the state, hydrologists want to remind everyone that the spring season is just getting started.

“What we are seeing now, we are going to continue to see over the next several months,” Merrill said. “We need to be cautious around the water. It’s running swift, fast, cold, and high. We really want to give the water its birth and practice safety around it.”

You can visit the Salt Lake County website for updates on closures.