The mighty Green: River overflows banks floods fields and golf course

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The Green River is flowing at its highest point since 1984. Reports of water levels at 48,000 cfs came in all last week.
It has flooded over into watermelon fields and hay fields in low lying areas. In places the river has tried to regain its old channel where the river has been diverted to create more farmland.
Homes along the river have been threatened. Emery County Sheriff Greg Funk has been working on flood related issues for the past month. “The old channel is full of water. We have been working to drain it. We have built up the dikes in several places. The dike saved the King’s property along Kings lane. Water flowed through the old channel onto Johnny Vetere’s property and onto the golf course. We also riprapped in front of Butch and Jeanie Jensen’s home where old riprap was coming loose due to high water flows. Morris Sorensen and the road departement as well as local construction companies have been a big help in lending equipment to build up dikes. We are using an old gravel pit as fill dirt. Saving homes and structures and life has been our main priority. We feel bad about the loss of farm land but there is only so much we can do. This has been a joint effort with Emery and Grand counties. We have worked on both sides of the county line to save property. The state parks, highway patrol and Green River city have all been cooperating. Carbon County has offered to help too, but so far we haven’t needed them. The golf course has had a lot of water on it and we are pumping water off hole number four and five. We will continue our efforts until all flooding danger has passed,” said Sheriff Funk.
Flooding has also been experienced in Ferron on farmland below the golf course. The water is crossing the road below hole number six. A dike was built out of sandbags on both sides of hole number six on the Millsite Golf Course. Flooding has been experienced in Lawrence. Joe’s Valley started spilling on June 20.