Water pouring out of rural Utah dam through 60-foot crack, putting nearby town at risk

A dam in Utah is undergoing emergency repairs after a massive crack opened this week, allowing a surge of water through.

The Panguitch Lake Dam in southwest Utah has developed a 60-foot-long crack that is allowing excess water to flood a nearby creek, posing an existential threat to the nearby towns of Panguitch and Circleville.

The crack was discovered on Monday night during an inspection, then announced to the public the following day.

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Dam operators are draining the reservoir at 260 cubic feet per second in order to bring the water level below the area of the crack.

Workers have also piled rocks over approximately 45 feet of the crack on the downstream side in order to support its integrity.

The dam is believed to be structurally stable and state officials say they do not expect an emergency — but have told nearby residents to remain prepared for an evacuation. 

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"I can't say that the emergency situation is entirely averted, but I'm very, very encouraged by the progress we've made today," said Utah Division of Water Rights assistant state engineer Everett Taylor.

A hypothetical evacuation would be announced via sirens and a coordinated door-to-door campaign by law enforcement offices.

"This can be orderly," Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Jacob Cox said. "If the notice is that the dam has broken or breached, we have time. The estimation is roughly two hours before those floodwaters are really inundating the town.

"We got through that, and we're going to get through this," said Panguitch Mayor Kim Soper. "It's just a different emergency."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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