Additional related content in video player: Swift water rescues in southern Arizona after weekend rain.
ORO VALLEY, Ariz. (KGUN)—A rare instance of winter flooding has closed Catalina Sate Park to the public since earlier in the week, according to the park's manager.
The flooding that began as a result of weekend rain left behind enough sediment to strand an estimated 300 campers, according to Park Manager Steve Haas.
"What stops people isn't the water. It's the sand," Haas told KGUN 9. "Everyone is safe in the campground, you just can't drive a vehicle across the road."
Haas says the park is working on sand removal, and hopes to clear a safe path to drive across by the end of the day Thursday.
The Canada del Oro arroyo and its tributaries carry runoff from the Santa Catalinas during rain storms—a common occurrence that can and does often lead to flooding during monsoon, but something that occurs less frequently in the winter, Haas said.
With the local environment still feeling the effects of the Bighorn Fire years later, runoff continues to be a concern.
Eventually, Haas told KGUN 9, a new bridge will solve the flooding issues the campground has frequently faced. He says funding has been approved, and the bridge is a work in progress in collaboration with ADOT.
The state park has been closed since the early morning hours on Monday, Jan. 16, when the park was originally scheduled to be open for free to visitors for the MLK holiday.
According to some social media users, multiple campers have been stranded in the park due to the flooding.
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Anne Simmons is the digital executive producer for KGUN 9. Anne got her start in television while still a student at the University of Arizona. Before joining KGUN, she managed multiple public access television stations in the Bay Area and has worked as a video producer in the non-profit sector. Share your story ideas and important issues with Anne by emailing anne.simmons@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn.
