MILLCREEK, Utah — The city of Millcreek found that last week’s flooding in neighborhood yards was not from natural runoff, but instead from people intentionally manipulating the stream.
For months now, counties and cities have invested a lot of time and money to keep creeks clear.
“Going up the trail, there’s water crossing the trail the whole way for the most part,” said Neffs Canyon hiker Brian Nordberg. “It’s starting to cut into the trail, unfortunately.”
Recently, Millcreek homes downstream of Neffs Creek saw floodwater in their yards. The first time it happened, Salt Lake County flood crews found boulders had diverted the water flow.
“Every time that happens we have to get crews up here to manually move these boulders because it is Forest Service land,” said Millcreek emergency manager Andrew Clark.
Last Wednesday, the neighborhood flooding happened again. The city visited the creek and found the same spot had rocks rearranged the same way.
Clark said these weren’t rocks that water could move around naturally. They were big boulders picked up off the side and stacked on top of each other like a barricade.
“We purchased some trail cameras and installed them along the trail where we’ve had problems in the past. About five hours later, we were notified of four individuals who were up there moving the boulders,” he said.
The Unified Police Department and the city made it to the canyon in time to stop and educate the group of twenty-year-olds.
Clark is not sure if the same group rearranged the rocks each time.
“I didn’t get the sense that it was malicious, they did just seem like they were trying to have some innocent fun,” he said. “I’m not sure how diverting water is fun.”
Ultimately, it’ll be up to the U.S. Forest Service whether or not to pursue any kind of punishment.
“Had homes been flooded or damaged, or damage to public roadways, there could be a financial liability to those individuals and possibly criminal charges brought up against them,” said Clark.
Neffs Canyon hikers say there’s a right way to recreate and respect the environment you’re in.
“Anytime you’re moving boulders for stacking you’re impacting the flora and fauna in that stream,” said Nordberg. “It’s a bad thing to begin with for that stream and its health, but it's also bad for flooding.”
