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ST. GEORGE - Fed by heavy rains, two rivers in southwestern Utah turned into chocolate-colored torrents Monday, leaping out of their banks and spreading into neighborhoods. One man was missing and presumed drowned, five roads were closed, and Washington County declared a state of emergency.

The rains, which came in the early morning hours Monday, had eased by sunrise, giving residents of St. George, Santa Clara, Washington City and other communities a chance to pile sandbags and evaluate the damage. It rained hard for about two hours at midafternoon, but stopped again toward evening. Warm temperatures, with highs in the 60s, contributed to the swell of water as snow in higher elevations melted.

More rain is expected to sustain the floodwaters through today, when Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. is to tour inundated areas. A cold front, forecast to move across Utah on Tuesday night, should lower temperatures and the snow line, slowing water runoff, said National Weather Service Meteorologist Mike Conger.

"The core of the storm is still off the California coast," he said. That storm's arrival should also bring snow and colder temperatures to the mountains and valleys of the Wasatch Front.

Ballard Hafen, 83, watched as the Santa Clara River ripped through his property near the historic Jacob Hamblin Home - which was not damaged - where state Route 91 disappeared into the muddy water.

"I've lived here all my life and this is the worst [flooding] I've ever seen," Hafen. "I just got a $25,000 sprinkler system in and now it looks twisted, torn and bent to hell."

Washington County's state of emergency declaration means money and resources will be funneled into the area, home to about 100,000 people. For example, said Emergency Services Director Dean Cox, the declaration routed 10,000 sandbags from the Utah Department of Transportation yard in Cedar City to the flood zone.

The missing man was swept away when trying to drive through high water in the Red Cliffs campground near Quail Creek Reservoir north of St. George. His body had not been found by late Monday and he is presumed dead, Cox said. The search will begin again today, weather permitting.

Washington County has not seen such flooding since January 1995, when damage to infrastructure and bridges amounted to about $300,000, Cox said. "There's no reason to think that this is not more extensive then in 1995."

This time, St. George was hardest hit by the flooding of the Virgin River, where volunteers gathered at the intersection of Man O' War and Sugar Leo roads to fill sandbags as water swept over a bridge and began rising toward posh homes in the Bloomington Ranches com- munity.

About a dozen homes had sustained some flood damage by Monday afternoon, said Craig Harding, spokesman for the St. George Police Department.

Nickie Stocks watched as the water lapped at her driveway on Sugar Leo Road and crept closer to her back yard.

"We're insured to death, [but] don't have any flood coverage," Stocks said as she pointed to the water covering her neighbors' tennis court and tack building.

"Before this is over, my fish in my [goldfish] pond may be swimming in the Virgin River," she said.

Other problem areas in Utah on Monday:

l Water flowed over the spillways of Baker, Gunlock and Enterprise reservoirs north of St. George.

l The unincorporated communities of Gunlock and Brookside were isolated by submerged roads.

l Toquerville and Virgin sustained damage from high water and the City of Enterprise declared an emergency situation.

* Snow continued to blanket northern Utah. Twelve inches were measured in Laketown, adding to the 12 inches that fell during the weekend.

l Provo Canyon was closed Monday after an intentionally set avalanche swept across State Road 189. The slide left up to 15 feet of snow on the highway.

l The Forest Service issued an avalanche warning for all of Utah's mountain ranges, saying snow and extremely high winds had created high danger.