1965 — June 11, heavy rain on heavy snow pack, flash flooding, Sheep Canyon area, UT– 7

–7 Salt Lake Tribune, UT. “Boy’s Body Found in Utah Flood.” 6-13-1965, p. 1.
–7 Salt Lake Tribune, UT. “Hunts Fail to Locate Bodies of 7 Utahns.” 6-15-1965, p. 17.
–7 Storm Data, Vol. 7, No. 6, June 1965, p. 77. Asheville, NC: Weather Bureau, Dept. Commerce.
–7 UPI. “Hope Ebbing for 7 Hit by Uinta Flood.” Ogden Standard-Examiner, UT. 6-12-1965, 1.

Narrative Information

Storm Data: “Utah…Daggett and Uintah Counties…11 [June] shortly after midnight…7 [killed] …Rain and Flood

“Rain on unusually heavy snow pack in the higher Uinta mountains resulted in considerable serious flooding on local streams in these two counties. Most serious flooding occurred in Sheep Creek Canyon. Shortly after midnight a flash flood of between 2,000 and 2,500 second feet of water struck a series of Forest Service Camp and Recreational areas. A father, mother, three children and two nephews were lost in the flood while sleeping at Palisade campgrounds. The flood completely destroyed five miles of new paved highway, three recreation areas and seven bridges. Damage estimates exceed $1,000,000.” (Storm Data, Vol. 7, No. 6, June 1965, p. 77.)

Newspaper

June 12: “Vernal, Utah (UPI) – Searchers waited for rampaging Sheep Creek to begin subsiding Saturday after abandoning all hope for seven persons missing at a campground struck by a vicious flash flood. Daggett County Sheriff Kenneth Reed said a search party would attempt to reach the missing group’s submerged auto ‘if the water goes down some.’ The sheriff said his office ‘officially considers it impossible’ that any of the seven missing Salt Lake City residents could have survived. ‘I doubt if they had time to do more than hear the roar just before the water hit,’ Reed said. He said the campground was struck by 2,000 to 2,500 second-feet of water.

“The sheriff said there was a possibility other campers were in the Sheep Canyon area when the wall of water, mud and rock roared through.

“Known missing and presumed dead are Keith Woodruff, 31, his wife, Lavon, 30, their three children, Jerry, 4, David, 2, and Karen, 1, and two nephews, Randy Swenson, 14, and his brother, Paul, 13.

“The heavy rains which triggered the flash flood and washed out roads and camping areas in the Uinta Mountains drainage of northeastern Utah and southwestern Wyoming subsided late Friday.

“U.S. Weather Bureau said showers should decrease Saturday, with fair weather predicted by evening.

“Ground parties scoured accessible portions of the flooded areas Friday without finding any possible victims. ‘We won’t be able to make a thorough search until the weather breaks,’ said Andrew McConkie, head of Ashley National Forest. “It’s all mud.’

“The flooding, caused by heavy rains and melting snow, damaged an area stretching from Mountain View, Wyo., to Flaming Gorge Reservoir Dam.

“The Utah flooding saw miles of improved roads, four bridges and several campsites in the Ashley Forest wiped out. Some of the campers marooned by the flood were evacuated and those that remained were not in any danger.

“The Blacks Fork River in southwestern Wyoming spilled over its banks, pushing down bridges and isolating the communities of Lonetree and Millburne. The Little Laramie River also flooded, washing into homes at Mountain View and Fort Bridger.” (UPI. “Hope Ebbing for 7 Hit by Uinta Flood.” Ogden Standard-Examiner, UT. 6-12-1965, p. 1.)

June 13: “The body of a teen-age boy missing since Thursday was discovered Saturday afternoon as nearly 100 searchers worked to locate seven vacationers presumed swept away in a flash flood in northeastern Utah. The body was identified by an uncle as that of Kenneth Randall Swenson, 15, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ken Swenson, 3403-11th East. Lewis Swenson, Salt Lake City, who was participating in the search, made the identification. Daggett County Sheriff Kenneth Reed said searchers found the body eight miles below the Palisades Park campground.

“Still missing and presumed dead were Keith M. Woodruff, 31…his wife, Lavon H., 30; their three children, Jerry, 4; David, 2, and Karen, 1, and another nephew, Paul Swenson,, 13, a brother of Kenneth Randall Swenson.

“The body was recovered in the canyon between Moenkopi campground in Ashley National Forest and Bennett’s Ranch, about six miles downstream from where Thursday’s flood swept into the Woodruff campground and buried the Woodruff car.

“Streams swollen by the high Uinta runoff overflowed the Weber River near Oakley, producing some lowland flooding….

“The rampaging Sheep Creek dug its own channel in the canyon, switching from the west side to the east side of the canyon. Although the water flow apparently had subsided somewhat Saturday, the strong current continued to spill bould4rs down the water course…

“An attempt to bulldoze debris from the now completely buried Woodruff car proved futile because of the quagmire. Water crossings were made over makeshift fallen tree trunk bridges….”
(Salt Lake Tribune, UT. “Boy’s Body Found in Utah Flood.” 6-13-1965, p. 1.)

Source

Environmental Science Service Administration, Weather Bureau. Storm Data, Vol. 7, No. 6, June 1965. Asheville: U.S. Department of Commerce, 1965. Accessed 5-31-2022 at: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/orders/IPS/IPS-456F6476-026B-4703-ABB1-E0017EACD0DC.pdf

Salt Lake Tribune, UT. “Boy’s Body Found in Utah Flood.” 6-13-1965, p. 1. Accessed 6-2-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/salt-lake-tribune-jun-13-1965-p-1/

Salt Lake Tribune, UT. “Hunts Fail to Locate Bodies of 7 Utahns.” 6-15-1965, p. 17. Accessed 6-2-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/salt-lake-tribune-jun-15-1965-p-17/

UPI (United Press International). “Hope Ebbing for 7 Hit by Uinta Flood.” Ogden Standard-Examiner, UT. 6-12-1965, p. 1. Accessed 6-2-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/ogden-standard-examiner-jun-12-1965-p-1/