PANGUITCH, Utah (ABC4) — A crack found in the Panguitch Lake Dam has led to officials limiting access to one Utah highway and Panguitch Lake.
The Garfield County Sheriff’s Office said the damage to the dam was found Monday, April 8. The damage reportedly resulted in a cracking on the upper portion of the dam. GCSO along with Panguitch City officials, emergency management and the West Panguitch Irrigation Company are “monitoring the conditions.”
The Sheriff’s Office said the damage is not severe enough for authorities to issue any evacuation notice, but access to the lake and Highway 143 will be limited.
“As a precaution, Garfield County Sheriff’s Office has closed Highway 143 and will limit all access to Panguitch Lake,” said the Sheriff’s Office in a press release. “Highway 143 will remain open above Panguitch Lake.”
Emergency personnel stationed at the dam will closely monitor the structure’s conditions. If the conditions worsen, the Sheriff’s Office said an emergency notification will be made through “all available resources.”
Officials did not disclose what may have caused the damage to the dam.
This is a developing story. Stay tuned as ABC4 will update this article as more information becomes available.
PANGUITCH, Utah (ABC4) — The Garfield County Sheriff’s Office posted an “urgent public safety announcement” on Tuesday night after the Panguitch Lake Dam was discovered to have a large crack in it.
The sheriff’s office said its monitoring of the situation was updated to a Level 2 Emergency Situation around 6 p.m. on Tuesday “due to potential risks identified with the dam’s integrity.”
Officials said the emergency designation was precautionary, and was aimed to ensure the safety of nearby residents.
What is a Level 2 Emergency Situation?
According to the sheriff’s office, a Level 2 Emergency Situation means that there is potential for dam failure.
“While there is no immediate threat to public safety, the situation could rapidly evolve,” the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release.
Officials said they are prepared to “escalate” their response if the situation calls for it.
How to prepare for possible dam failure
“It is crucial that residents of Panguitch and surrounding areas be prepared for a possible evacuation should we reach a Level 3 situation, which would indicate dam failure,” officials said.
The sheriff’s office urged residents to stay informed, have an evacuation plan, have emergency kits and inform others.
Officials said they will communicate “through all available resources,” including social media and local news outlets.
“Should evacuation be necessary, residents should proceed east towards Hatch as the primary evacuation route,” the sheriff’s office said.
The sheriff’s office said it is continuing to monitor the situation and urged residents to follow instructions and be prepared.
“Please know that if a failure occurs, we feel there is plenty of time to conduct an orderly evacuation before the water reaches Panguitch,” officials said.
A fact sheet from FEMA about potential dam failures is available online.