Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Canyon National Park crews are assessing damage after an additional flash flood moved through Bright Angel Canyon Wednesday afternoon, damaging temporary water infrastructure being constructed as part of the park’s ongoing recovery from the Aug. 29 flood.

Grand Canyon National Park continues response and recovery operations following the significant August 29 flash flood in Bright Angel Canyon and the Phantom Ranch area. Search operations remain active, while crews continue infrastructure assessments, stabilization work and efforts to restore a reliable water supply to the South Rim. 

Grand Canyon National Park continues response and recovery operations following the destructive August 29 flash flood that caused significant damage in Bright Angel Canyon and the Phantom Ranch area. Park staff and partner agencies are conducting damage assessments and beginning repair and stabilization work in areas where trails, bridges, utilities and other infrastructure were damaged or destroyed. Maintaining safe access for response personnel and keeping visitors out of hazardous areas is critical as this work continues.

The National Park Service has recovered the bodies of two hikers who were caught in a destructive flash flood Aug. 29 in Bright Angel Canyon. The hikers have been identified as John Giusti, 46, and Brent Rosenkranz, 42, both of Granbury, Texas.  One member of the hiking group remains missing. Search and rescue operations are ongoing, with teams continuing efforts to locate the missing hiker and account for anyone else who may have been in the affected area at the time of the flood. 

Grand Canyon National Park will implement Stage 4 water restrictions on the South Rim beginning at noon on August 31 in response to the significant flash flooding that occurred along Bright Angel Canyon on August 29.   The flooding caused extensive damage to infrastructure in the inner canyon, including the Transcanyon Waterline, which supplies water from the canyon for use in the park.