Deputies advising caution around rivers as National Weather Service issues Flood Watch

LOGAN — The Cache County Sheriff’s Office is reminding everyone to be cautious around rivers and streams, as the National Weather Service issued another flood watch through next Tuesday. The warning comes after two people drowned in the last week in Cache and Franklin counties.

Lt. Mike Peterson said this year’s record snow-pack is now causing most rivers in the area to be flowing at levels not seen in the past several years.

“Not only do we have a lot of water coming down, but it is also quite murky so you can’t really even tell how deep the water is in most places,” explained Peterson. “You know, we are used to the last few years where the drought situation has kept water levels low. Well now we are in a situation where most of the rivers and streams are literally at peak, or are almost running at their top level.”

On Saturday, deputies from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office found the body of Bailand Johnson. The 19-year-old Preston, Idaho man was last seen hiking near the Albert Moser campground where he is believed to have fallen into the Cub River and drowned.

Peterson said not only are rivers flowing at near record levels, but they are also very swift.

“They are moving anywhere between three-to-five mph, if the water is moving that quickly. The footing underneath in the bed of the streams are a lot of times rocky. Those things compound to make them very dangerous to be in and around.” 

Friends of Johnson have set up a <a href=”https://www.gofundme.com/bailand-johnson-memorial-fund” target=”_blank”>Gofundme</a> account for the family, describing him as a loving young man, who was amazingly kind.

On Sunday May 21, deputies found the body of a Titan Chavez of Brigham City. The two-year-old boy died accidentally, after falling into a fast moving stream in the Left Hand Fork area of Blacksmith Fork Canyon, while camping with his family.

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