Then and now: Measures improve communication, traffic flow in Palo Duro Canyon flood

Nell Williams
·6 min read

Mother Nature sometimes has a wicked sense of humor. Take for instance the “100 year flood” in Palo Duro Canyon in 1979. Termed an anomaly and once-in-a-lifetime event, it’s happening all over again. But, this time, they were ready.

Currently, all trails are closed due to the heavy rains and flooding in this recent typhoon cycle the area has experienced. Most recent totals show 20 inches of rain has fallen on the canyon floor. Just seven days ago, video on YouTube showed Crossing #1 which more like the Muddy Mississippi than the friendly Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River that usually runs along the canyon floor.

The show must go on: 'TEXAS' playing for the crowds

“TEXAS the Outdoor Musical,” a staple of entertainment and enjoyment for visitors from all around the world since 1968, has missed only one year of production, during the pandemic in 2020. Opening night was held Thursday as planned. Because trails are closed, gate admission is only $5.

Stephanie Price, Director of Marketing & Communications for Cultural Foundation of the Texas Panhandle, said, “We have had a lot of rain lately but as they say in show business, the show must go on. We have not experienced any flooding of the ampitheatre and are grateful to the state park for clearing the roads and being such great partners for TEXAS while there has been flooding in other parts of the park."

The backstage is seen for "TEXAS" the Outdoor Musical, which had its season opening night on Thursday evening without a hitch. Parts of Palo Duro Canyon are closed due to flooding and the weather, but the musical is continuing on as planned.
The backstage is seen for "TEXAS" the Outdoor Musical, which had its season opening night on Thursday evening without a hitch. Parts of Palo Duro Canyon are closed due to flooding and the weather, but the musical is continuing on as planned.

“Our cast and crew of 100 talented individuals cannot wait for a great opening weekend and to bring this story to life," Price added. "We will continue to monitor the weather each night and enact a rain policy if needed." The show's 57th season runs June 8-Aug. 5. “We have been busy in the off-season making repairs to upgrade our customer experience at the amphitheater," she said.

Radio communications improve safety warnings

According to Randall County Sheriff Chris Forbis, a new Motorola radio system was introduced around five years ago for Randall County that is multi-agency and links all emergency departments together. “There are also individual channels that can limit the conversation to only firemen or police,” he said.

There are new towers also, with one by the entrance into Palo Duro Canyon, and one on the other side of the canyon on Gilvin Ranch. The signals are more integrated and also tie into the weather service so alerts are instant. Rangers can pick up data that is sent from NWS or other entities immediately to go and warn campers of any danger or respond to an emergency. Forbis said he is grateful to the citizens of Randall County for approving the system for the safety of officers and first responders, as well as visitors to the park.

He said communication is also linked to Amarillo Police Department and Amarillo and area firefighters for quick response. Eventually, Forbis would like all the Texas Panhandle to be on the same system.

In the old system, different agencies used different radio systems and didn’t tie in together which made communication difficult and at time, impossible. .

“Communications can succeed or fail,” he said. The advent of raised bridges over water crossings has also greatly improved the safety of drivers and campers in the canyon, he said. “Before, it didn’t take much water to take someone off the road.”

During this current flooding period, the park closed off camping sites other than those close to the entrance. The Pioneer Ampitheatre is open, and so is the Trading Post. The trail ends at Old West Stables.

Palo Duro Canyon looks more beautiful than ever before with recent rainfall. But looks can be deceiving and though it is open, visitors need to follow rules and stay within limits set by the park and first responders.
Palo Duro Canyon looks more beautiful than ever before with recent rainfall. But looks can be deceiving and though it is open, visitors need to follow rules and stay within limits set by the park and first responders.

Danger remains in a natural setting

A huge boulder rolled down on the main road going into the canyon and was moved Monday, June 5, according to officials at the park. It was not an easy job, but it was moved with the help of a big loader from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), according to Mark Hassell, PDC Resource Officer. The park also has gabions, or concrete water outlets, which help water flow to the bottom slowly through a series of step-like structures. They were rebuilt around 12 years ago to blend into the surroundings and are placed every 100 feet, according to Hassell.

Bridges have made a huge difference in keeping visitors safe and able to get through the water, according to Hassell. “If we didn’t have those, we’d have people backed up in the canyon now and have trouble reaching them.”

Rain Thursday night has caused the creek to rise again, so it is being monitored according to Mark Hassell, a Palo Duro Canyon official.
Rain Thursday night has caused the creek to rise again, so it is being monitored according to Mark Hassell, a Palo Duro Canyon official.

He said that AT&T cellular service had the greatest reach in the canyon for consumers, but that others can still dial 9-1-1 and get through to rangers or the Randall County Sheriff’s Office if there is trouble.

Once the ground begins to dry, the trails will have to be addressed by Trail Teams for safety and erosion concerns. Roads and bridges will have to be checked carefully by TxDOT and probably need some resconstruction.

A new headquarters is coming soon for the Palo Duro Canyon, about a quarter mile from the current entrance constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in 1933 as part of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal to get voluntary workers back to jobs. The old structure will remain and be turned over to the Interpreters Center for display of CCC material and photographs of the workers who built the park during the Great Depression.

At the onset of the rainy season on May 19, the floor of Palo Duro Canyon received 2.78 inches, and the rim received 2.66 inches. Trails were closed, and campers had to be evacuated from the campsites and hustled into the Pioneer Amphitheater for safety. Several tents were swept away, but no fatalities were reported.

The condition could have been worse. Improvements have been made in the park, including bridges and the communications. But water moves swiftly and deadly, and happens in the blink of an eye. There will always be dangerous situations that can occur suddenly, and visitors need to be aware of incoming danger. The soil can turn to mud and mush very quickly, according to Thomas Milone, Assistant Park Supervisor.

All of the park trails were closed until further notice, including a portion of Hackberry campground and Park Road 5 from the Lighthouse parking lot to the Cactus site. Visitors to the natural wonder had already totaled 138,000 for the year, with the heavy season just now beginning.

In an interesting twist, ICR scientists recently led field trips through the canyon, pointing out geological features that show clear evidence of the global flood centuries ago. The walls of the canyon display more than 700 feet of flood strata; the erosion continues to carve out the canyon and make it into its own treasure.

It all goes to show that you can’t fool Mother Nature, nor can you outguess her.

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Park improvements alleviate today's flood in Palo Duro Canyon