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The Utah Floods of 1983 — And 2023

1983 Davis County Flooding
Kimm Harty
/
Used by permission, Utah Geological Survey
1983 Davis County Flooding

It was spring of 1983, Utah skiers were happy, snowpack was at a record high and temperatures kept it there well into May. Until it didn’t. Sound familiar?

All week, we’ve been talking about whether or not we will see floods this spring — and now we have. After we spoke with Laura Briefer, the director of Salt Lake City Public Utilities, Emigration Creek spilled out into the Wasatch Hollow neighborhood and a mudslide temporarily shut down I-80 in Parleys Canyon. So, now what? Cooling temperatures are expected to slow the flow, and utility managers are monitoring reservoirs, but when will we know that we are out of the woods? This Friday at 11 a.m. we will have a live conversation about flooding and what to expect in the coming weeks.

GUEST:

  • John Harrington | Former reporter for ABC News 
  • Laura Briefer | Director of Salt Lake City Public Utilities @LBriefer
  • Sean Higgins | KUER’s politics and government reporter @higginsreports

Airdate: Friday, April 14, 2023 at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.

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