On Sunday, July 22nd, a flash flood flowed through the area south of the Dollar Ridge Fire burn scar, stranding 50 people and washing out roadways. Thankfully all those stranded were saved and there was no serious damage to the structures in the area but Duchesne County Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday that the outcome may not be so positive next time. “If you stay in this area, you do so at your own risk,” shares Duchesne County Sheriff David Boren. “Any additional rain in this area carries the real potential for loss of life. Deputies, search and rescue personnel, and road crews will not respond to rescue people out of this area during future flooding events if the risk to first responders is deemed to be too great.” This warning applies to the property owners from Timber Canyon east to the Camelot/Strawberry Pinnacles area. Duchesne County Road Department Director Ben Henderson and his crews have been assessing the road and determined that 30 drainages on the north and south side of Strawberry River contributed to the flooding event. Five drainages on the south side of the river contributed enough water and debris to change the course of the Strawberry River. “There is debris 12 feet deep in some places, including one spot about 4 miles west of Timber Canyon,” shares Henderson, who also explained that people living along the Strawberry River from Strawberry Reservoir in Wasatch County to Starvation Reservoir in Duchesne County should be aware that any rainfall could produce high runoff and debris flow due to the Dollar Ridge Fire burn scar. “Sunday’s flooding already altered the course of the Strawberry River and future incidents could alter the river’s course further in ways that can’t be predicted,” he said. County officials will be meeting with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Tuesday and Henderson is already filing permits with the Corps to begin work in the river channel.
