Heavy monsoon thunderstorms on Wednesday, July 22, sent muddy floodwaters across portions of U.S. Highway 89, briefly covering lanes of traffic and leaving mud and debris behind in Kanab.
City crews, volunteers, and the Kane County Sheriff’s Office worked to prepare for additional storms as runoff from late afternoon downpours flowed across roadways in several areas of the city.
Along the city’s main commercial corridor, vehicles slowed as muddy water crossed Highway 89 near Honey’s Marketplace and other businesses.
In the days following the storms, Kanab City Public Works crews worked into the evening to clear culverts, remove mud from roads, and excavate silt from the Little Tom’s Canyon stormwater channel to restore capacity before the next round of monsoon weather.
The city expressed gratitude for the dedicated team serving the community in a social media post, noting that while cleanup would take time, crews were making steady progress in removing storm debris and restoring affected areas.
Community volunteers played a key role in the response. The city thanked youth from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and many local residents for volunteering their time to help fill sandbags.
Every sandbag filled by volunteers before the storm was used to protect homes and infrastructure. Following the storm, the Kane County Sheriff’s Office work crew assisted in filling nearly 600 additional sandbags to help the community prepare for more monsoon activity. Officials continue to encourage residents to help replenish sandbag supplies.
Southern Utah’s monsoon season typically brings short-lived but intense thunderstorms capable of producing flash flooding with little warning. City officials encourage residents to stay alert for changing weather conditions and to never drive through flooded roadways.
