PROJECT ALERT NOTICE (AZ) Flooding in the Grand Canyon

Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2026 14:30:31 EDT

Summary: Severe flooding in the Grand Canyon over the weekend resulted in life-threatening conditions in the Phantom Ranch area.

Over the weekend, severe flooding in the Grand Canyon over the weekend resulted in life-threatening conditions in the Phantom Ranch area. Two USGS streamgages were destroyed in the flood. Despite these setbacks, USGS still has one streamgage higher in the watershed and another on a tributary of Bright Angel Creek actively transmitting data to provide flood warning to hikers in the Phantom Ranch area. Additionally, precipitation gages on the North Rim remain operational, providing ongoing weather information.
USGS is coordinating with the National Park Service to determine access for deploying drones and reinstalling equipment in the affected areas. At present, the primary focus is on continuing to supply precipitation and stage data to support flood monitoring. We plan to use unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to map debris and assess sediment deposition in the near future. Repairing damaged streamgages is also a priority to restore flood warning capabilities.