Homeowners along South Fork Ogden River using thousands of sandbags
May 2, 2023, 6:52 PM | Updated: May 7, 2023, 7:49 pm
HUNTSVILLE, Utah — People living along the South Fork of the Ogden River were trying to keep the high waters from damaging their homes Tuesday as the area was under a flood warning.
The homeowners have been sandbagging for weeks, but they fear the worst of the flooding is yet to come.
“It’s a place where we bring family and friends and just enjoy the river,” said cabin owner Bob Collins.
Some people spend their summers along the South Fork River in their cabin up U.S. Highway 39.
“We jump off the cliffs here,” Collins said.
For Wayne Hill, it’s home 365 days a year.
“We sandbagged ’til 9 last night.”
This spring, Hill’s working around the clock to build and stack sandbags.
“There was a river running down this road, literally,” Collins said.
The rising waters have kept the neighbors on their toes.
“Almost to the top of my boots,” Collins said.
It’s a team effort to keep the waters out of their homes.
“About 2,000 sandbags yesterday,” Hill said.
Their neighbors have waterfront views on a whole other level.
“This is their summer home. Right now, they’re down in Arizona and we’re all kind of keeping an eye on everybody,” Hill said.
Another neighbor’s cabin was nearly overtaken by the river.
“If the sandbags weren’t there, there would be a 2-foot river going through this yard here,” Collins said.
The deck was submerged. So far, though, the wall of sandbags and hours of manpower have kept the shed in place.
“We were afraid it was going to float down the river, but it survived so far,” Collins said.
The homeowners said they’re working hard right now to prepare for what could come.
“It’s projected to peak at 5’6″ I think by Friday morning, so we’ve got people up here again to try and raise the sandbags another two feet,” Hill said.
They do it for the community they love.
“We all come together on this, and it’s a great show of unity,” Collins said.
“It’s worth living by the river to do it,” Hill said.
Hill said he expects they could see the peak of the flows in mid-June. They hope their sandbags and sump pumps can withstand the flooding until then.
