Yavapai County Floods Force Kayak Rescues and Keep Shelters Open

Emergency crews in Yavapai County used kayaks and rope lines to rescue residents trapped inside flooded homes in Cornville on Monday. The operations occurred as floodwaters continued to impact communities along creeks, streams, and rivers flowing south from northern Arizona.

In Cornville, deputies and Arizona Department of Public Safety troopers secured ropes to trees to wade and swim through strong currents. Rescuers pulled a woman to safety from her home. They then discovered a man remained inside the structure. The team used a kayak to transport him out of the flooded area.

Prescott remains under a state of emergency. Officials said the city did not face the same severity of flooding as other parts of the county. However, water levels along local waterways stayed elevated. Business owners along Granite Creek monitored the rising water throughout the day.

Jim Bellington, owner of LazyG Brewhouse, reported that water spilled over the creek banks and ran down Granite Street. He stated that the creek crested well above normal levels. "Yesterday I saw more water than I’ve ever seen over the last 20 years," Bellington said. "It was well up the roadway, flooding down Granite Street itself and Granite Creek had risen to, I don’t know what level, but it was a good 6 to 7 feet [higher] than it normally is." Bellington noted that floodwaters did not reach inside the restaurant.

The American Red Cross opened shelters across Yavapai County to provide meals and resources to displaced residents. David Leinweber, an American Red Cross volunteer, said the local shelter did not experience a large influx of people because their location never went past Level 2 on the flood scale. "We really didn’t have folks that were fleeing to come here," Leinweber said. He added that a family from Ash Fork spent time in the shelter.

Shelters will remain open for residents who could not leave their homes earlier and still require assistance. Long-time residents reported that waterway levels reached heights unseen in decades.