North Ogden’s Orton Park overflows, neighbors show up with paddle boards, pets

NORTH OGDEN, Utah—Orton Park was overflowing Friday as city leaders said the detention basin was functioning properly and neighbors arrived with paddle boards, pets, and kayaks to take advantage of the unique conditions.

“It’s just insane how high (the water) is,” neighbor Miranda Kispert said. “When we moved in, I never imagined that we’d have a lake so close to home.”

The city announced on Facebook earlier Friday that warm temperatures and runoff waters had filled the park to capacity and the park was overflowing near 600 East and down 2050 North.

“I have been in North Ogden (for) 20 years and I’ve never seen it overflow here,” City Councilman Phil Swanson said.

Swanson said the water flowing over the sidewalk and rocks at the northwest corner of the park was exactly what was supposed to happen under these circumstances.

“It’s designed to spill over like this so it can run into our stormwater system and then head west out toward Mud Creek and then again out toward the Great Salt Lake,” Swanson said.

Swanson said the city was monitoring 9 different potential trouble spots around the city by the hour, but he expressed optimism with the current weather pattern that the area could avoid further troubles.

“If we can continue with the temperature patterns that we’ve had, I think we’re going to be just fine,” he said.

There were few complaints from neighbors who turned out by the dozens Friday evening to take pictures and take part in water sports in an unlikely place.

“They said they were coming paddle boarding and I was just astounded that the water was high enough for that,” Kispert said with amazement. “We’re just trying to teach our dog to swim, which he doesn’t seem to be enjoying.”