Ahead of the busy Labor Day travel weekend, overnight stays at hotels in Grand Canyon National Park are now restricted after authorities said there were “four significant breaks” in the park’s only water main, resulting in a complete shutdown.
The National Park Service says that “no water is currently being pumped to either the South or North Rim” following breakdowns with the “12.5-mile Transcanyon Water Pipeline that supplies the park with water from the canyon.”
Starting Thursday, according to the NPS, “overnight accommodations will be suspended at all park concessions,” including “hotel properties operated by Xanterra, such as El Tovar, Bright Angel Lodge, Maswik Lodge and Phantom Ranch, as well as Delaware North’s Yavapai Lodge and Trailer Village.” Only dry camping is permitted and fire restrictions are in place, but the park will remain open to day visitors.
“These actions are critical to ensuring the safety and sustainability of water resources,” the NPS said in a statement. “The goal is to restore full operational status for overnight visitors to the South Rim as quickly as possible.”
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Water shoots from a portion of the Transcanyon Waterline that ruptured along the North Kaibab Trail in Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona on August 20. (National Park Service/AP)
Park officials say the Transcanyon Pipeline, built in the 1960s, has “exceeded its expected lifespan and is experiencing frequent failures, requiring expensive and ongoing maintenance to repair the leaks.”
“Since 2010, there have been more than 85 major water breaks, each disrupting water supplies. The National Park Service recently began construction on a multi-year, $208 million rehabilitation of the Transcanyon Waterline and modernization of its water supply system,” the NPS said.
“This critical infrastructure investment,” which is expected to be completed by 2027, “will ensure the park can meet the water supply needs of six million annual visitors and approximately 2,500 year-round residents,” it said.
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Guests leave the Bright Angel Lodge hotel in Grand Canyon, Arizona, on Wednesday, August 28. As of Thursday, visitors will no longer be able to stay at hotels in Grand Canyon National Park due to a series of breaks in the only pipeline serving the popular tourist destination. (AP/Matt York)
The ongoing water restrictions will remain in effect throughout the Labor Day holiday, when hotels will be near or at capacity, The Associated Press reported.
Complicating the restoration effort is that the fractures occurred in a narrow part of the canyon known as “the box.” This area is prone to rock falls and is subject to high temperatures at this time of year. A photo of one of the most recent fractures released by park officials shows a funnel of water spraying from the pipe across the narrow canyon.
Water access to the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park shown here has been closed. (AP/Alex Brandon)
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“It’s definitely a challenge when a pipeline breaks,” said Grand Canyon spokeswoman Joelle Baird, citing safety concerns for the teams tasked with repairing the damage.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
