Grand Canyon Flood Cuts Water, Forces South Rim Lodging Shutdown
Flooding at Grand Canyon killed two, left one missing, and broke a vital pipeline, forcing indefinite closure of South Rim lodging.
Deadly flooding at the Grand Canyon has knocked out the main water pipeline serving the South Rim, forcing an indefinite shutdown of all overnight lodging at the park's most visited section. The national park itself remains open, but the loss of water has made hundreds of hotel rooms unusable, scrambling plans for thousands of tourists who had booked stays, some more than a year in advance.
The flood, which killed two people and left a third missing, damaged the aging 12.5-mile aluminum pipeline that carries water across the canyon. Built in the 1960s, the pipe was already weakened by internal corrosion and had been undergoing a $200 million repair project when the flood struck, damaging roughly 40% of its length.
Tourists like Michelle Allen, visiting from Kansas, were told to check out early. Allen had planned a five-night stay but received notice after just one night that she had to leave. She was able to find alternative accommodation, but many others are struggling as hotels in the nearby town of Tusayan, which runs on well water and is unaffected by the pipeline break, quickly fill up.
Experts warn the economic impact could be severe. The Grand Canyon draws nearly 5 million visitors a year, supporting about 9,000 jobs and generating close to $1 billion in local spending. An extended closure could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue and affect service jobs across northern Arizona and into southern Nevada, as many tourists combine a canyon visit with a trip to Las Vegas.
Closed lodgings include the El Tovar Hotel, Bright Angel Lodge, Maswik Lodge, Yavapai Lodge, and Phantom Ranch at the canyon bottom. Campgrounds remain open, but without water spigots, and campfires are banned due to reduced firefighting capacity. Restaurants are still operating using water from storage tanks, which hold several weeks' supply. Conservation measures are in place, including using reclaimed water for non-drinking purposes and encouraging guests to shorten showers.
This latest blow follows last summer's wildfire that destroyed a historic lodge at the North Rim, leaving that side of the canyon without lodging for over a year. The South Rim's 2,000 year-round residents and millions of annual visitors depend on the damaged pipeline, and officials have not said how the tanks will be refilled once they run dry.