WASHINGTON COUNTY, Utah, March 15, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — The Waterfalls at Gunlock State Park are flowing, and creating a safety hazard visitors should be aware of, the park blog website says.
“These falls are a rare sight to behold, having occurred only a handful of times within the last decade,” says a park statement issued earlier this week. “The waterfalls are part of a spillway and flow when the reservoir reaches capacity. When the reservoir fills quickly, the additional water flows over the dam and spills down the cliffside, creating waterfalls.”
The water then flows down the Santa Clara River, where it joins the Virgin River, the statement says.
Waterfalls begin
The post predicted the falls would begin to flow this month, but on Wednesday, the National Weather Service of Salt Lake City posted that the flow had begun.
“Gunlock reservoir has gone over the spillway as of 3 a.m. (a rare occurrence),” the NWS statement says. “This flows into the Santa Clara River so flows will be higher, but flooding along the Santa Clara is not forecast, at this time.”
“The waterfalls at Gunlock State Park are flowing,” says a Wednesday update by the park. “Due to high amounts of runoff this season, debris has accumulated near the top of the falls.
“This debris presents safety hazards for park visitors and the dam. Crews are actively working to remove it as quickly as possible. At this time, visitors are not allowed in the immediate area until work concludes, but can still view the falls from a safe distance. We will update this post throughout the season as the status of the waterfalls changes.”
The park added that “Recreating on the rocks near the waterfalls is dangerous. Rocks are slick, water is swift, and covered hazards exist in the pools. We strongly encourage visitors to use caution and be observant in the area.”
