Massive rainfall in June led to catastrophic flooding in many parts of the United States. One heavy-hit area was Yellowstone National Park. The National Park Service shared a video of the river raging through the park and the damage the water left in its wake.
The video shows water ripping through the river canyon, taking out trees along the way as it slams into the hillsides. It washed out portions of the roadway in multiple spots, including the Northeast Entrance Road, and swept away a patrol cabin by Yellowstone River and Black Deer Creek. The water from Lamar River overflowed the banks spreading out into the Lamar Buffalo Ranch. The video shows Slough Creek surpassing its banks and flowing onto the plains below the campground. On top of the flooding, the park suffered rockslides and mudslides, sparking a massive cleanup effort.
The National Park Service said it was a 500-year flood event, with the northern areas of the park receiving between 7.5 to 9.5 inches of rain and snowmelt within 24 hours. According to the NPS, "The flood destroyed several sections of the North Entrance Road between Mammoth Hot Springs, Wyoming, and Gardiner, Montana, and three sections of the Northeast Entrance Road between Lamar Valley and Cooke City/Silver Gate, Montana."
Yellowstone National Park immediately enacted its emergency protocol, ensuring visitors and employees were safe. They worked to bring power back, assist with local emergency responses, and divert damaged wastewater systems. Thirty-six hours after the flooding, visitors were evacuated, and an initial damage assessment was done. It only took 48 for the park to restore power and divert the wastewater. Plans for recovery and reopening were put in place. Nine days after the massive flooding, the south loop reopened on June 22, 2022. However, repairs continued long into the summer on other roadways and trails. In October, the final temporary entrances were opened to park visitors. However, due to wastewater system damage, the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel remains closed to park visitors through March 2023.
