Officials say the only pipeline that supplies water to Grand Canyon National Park has suffered “four significant breaks,” leading to a total closure, limiting hotel accommodations at the park ahead of the park's busy Labor Day travel weekend.
The National Park Service said that “no water is currently being pumped to either the South or North Rim” following the incident, which involved “the 12.5-mile Trans-Canyon Water Pipe, which delivers water from the canyon for use within the park.”
The National Park Service announced that starting Thursday, “overnight stays will be suspended at all concession facilities within the park, including Xanterra-operated hotel facilities such as El Tovar, Bright Angel Lodge, Maswik Lodge and Phantom Ranch, as well as Yavapai Lodge and Trailer Village at Delaware North.” The park remains open for day use, although only dry camping will be permitted and fire restrictions will be in place.
“These measures are critical to ensuring the safety and sustainability of our water resources,” the National Park Service said in a statement. “The goal is to restore full operating conditions for overnight guests at the South Rim as quickly as possible.”
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Water gushes out from the Trans-Canyon Waterway along the North Kaibab Trail in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, on August 20. (National Park Service/Associated Press)
Park officials say the Trans Canyon Pipeline, built in the 1960s, has “exceeded its intended lifespan, experiencing frequent failures and requiring costly ongoing maintenance to repair leaks.”
“Since 2010, there have been more than 85 major breaks, each disrupting water supplies. The National Park Service recently began a multiyear, $208 million project to rehabilitate the Trans Canyon Aqueduct and upgrade related water systems,” the National Park Service said.
The company added that “this significant investment in infrastructure” is expected to be completed by 2027, “enabling the park to meet the water supply needs of its six million annual visitors and approximately 2,500 year-round residents.”
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Guests leave the Bright Angel Lodge hotel in Grand Canyon, Arizona, on Wednesday, Aug. 28. Guests at Grand Canyon National Park will be unable to stay in hotels starting Thursday after a series of disruptions to the only pipeline leading to the popular tourist destination. (AP/Matt York)
The current water restrictions are expected to continue through the Labor Day holiday weekend, when hotels will be near or at full capacity, according to the Associated Press.
Complicating the repair effort is that the breach occurred in a narrow section of the canyon known as the “box,” which is at risk of rockfall and experiences high temperatures this time of year. Photos of the most recent breach released by park officials show water spurting from the pipe and spilling across the narrow canyon.
The water access to the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, shown here, has been cut off. (AP/Alex Brandon)
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“It's a really big deal for a pipeline to rupture,” Grand Canyon spokesman Joel Baird said, pointing to safety concerns for workers trying to repair the damage.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
