Portions of St. Anthony Sand Dunes washed out by flooding
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ST. ANTHONY — Flood waters have ripped a massive ravine through the St. Anthony Sand Dunes.
On Sunday, a river of rain and runoff water coursing through the dunes displaced a great deal of sand. When the water subsided, Bureau of Land Management officials said the terrain had been significantly altered.
“I think people really need to keep in mind that it changed a lot,” Idaho Falls District BLM spokeswoman Sarah Wheeler told EastIdahoNews.com. “It’s going to take a while before the sand shifts and covers up those huge gaping holes.”
Wheeler explained the washout exposed a lot of rocks that have yet to settle after the flooding.
“It’s pretty dangerous to be playing on those rocks when they’re still moving,” Wheeler said.
The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office looked over the sand dunes earlier this week and said they don’t have any plans to do anything about the washouts holes.
“The sand dunes change all the time,” Fremont County Sheriff Len Humphries said. “There are a couple of places with some washes out there, but I figure as soon as we get a windstorm that will fill those in.”
Wheeler said during the 10 years she’s been with the BLM, she has never seen the sand dunes washed out like this.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a common thing at all,” she said. “It’s definitely a first for me and definitely a first for our recreation planner as well.”
She said the flooding isn’t costing the BLM any money as none of their facilities were damaged.
“We are hoping mother nature will help fix the problem,” Wheeler said.