21 August 2008

Grand Canyon Flooding

Clarification- the Grand Canyon did not flood.

The recent flash flood in the Grand Canyon has news agencies (surprise) reporting that the Grand Canyon was flooding. In actuality, a side canyon, Havasu got flash flooded by an earth dam that broke from the flash rain storms in the area.

Grand Canyon rafting trips were in the canyon at the time, and the only rafting trip affected by the flooding was a private boat trip that lost their rafts that were parked at the mouth of the flooded canyon. Western River Expeditions saw the raft without rafters and reported the incident to the park service.

All of the evacuations and emergency helicopter transfers related to the incident were the local tribe resident who lived along the Havasu Canyon and whose homes were threatened by the flash flood.

NO COMMERCIAL RAFTING COMPANIES OR TRIPS WERE IN DANGER OR AFFECTED BY THE FLOOD.

Hope that clears some of the questions up, and if you have any more, feel free to comment on this post and I can answer any of your inquiries!