Homes damaged in Salt Lake, Tooele counties after storms drench northern Utah

Storms that swept through northern Utah on Saturday prompted flooding in Tooele County and Salt Lake City, leaving dozens of homes damaged.

According to the National Weather Service, flooding started Saturday morning in Tooele County after early thunderstorms that dropped 1.5 to 2 inches of rain over the Jacob City burn scar.

Heavy rain over the area triggered a debris flow composed of rock, mud, vegetation and other loose materials.

There was also extensive flooding throughout Tooele, Erda, Stansbury Park and Lake Point, according to Bucky Whitehouse, emergency services director for Tooele County Emergency Management.

More than 30 homes in the county reported water damage as a result of heavy rains, he said.

Minor debris was scattered across roadways throughout the county, but most has since been cleared, Whitehouse said, and crews were inspecting all roads late Saturday afternoon to ensure they were fully safe and clear.

Whitehouse said a section of the Union Pacific rail line near Droubay Road that was washed out Saturday morning — leaving a train stalled — has also been repaired.

While the county had redirected traffic in the area, “Union Pacific has restored rail traffic through Tooele County,” he confirmed.

The county had also received multiple reports of basement flooding, he said, and fire agencies assisted residents trapped in flooded basements or vehicles. No injuries were reported.

The Stansbury Service Agency, which oversees public facilities and parks in Stansbury Park, issued an alert Saturday morning warning of “significant flooding” throughout the valley.

“If your home or property is at risk, please don’t hesitate to reach out for help,” the agency’s alert said. “The county is providing assistance to secure homes and ensure everyone’s safety.”

Tooele County Emergency Management is urging residents to report any flood-related damage. Reports can be submitted online or by texting photos and location details to 435-833-8181.

In Utah’s capital, just a few blocks south of where thousands had flocked for General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, weather canceled the Salt Lake City Farmers Market at Pioneer Park.

“We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding,” the market wrote in an Instagram post. “We look forward to welcoming everyone back next week.”

The Salt Lake City Fire Department, meanwhile, said in a Saturday afternoon post on the social media platform X that city and county departments were responding to reports of flooding near 800 North and Sir Philip Drive, just east of Interstate 215.

Chloe Morroni, a spokesperson for the Salt Lake City Public Utilities Department, said 21 homes in the area were affected by flooding.

She said a nearby canal was struggling to handle the excess water.

“There is just too much water for the canal that runs through this area to hold, [and] water drains from the canal into the city drain, which is a Salt Lake County flood control facility,” Morroni said. “They’ll do more of an investigation, but it appears as if the pumps at the facility are not operating at full capacity, so water is apparently backing up there at that facility, and then it has nowhere to go.”

Efforts were underway late Saturday afternoon to drain the excess water so no further homes would be at risk of flooding, she said.