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This page was updated on Sep. 3, 2024 SEP. 3, 2024 UPDATE:Grand Canyon National Park will reopen hotels on the park’s South Rim beginning Thursday, September 5 and transition down to Stage 3 water restrictions.Park water utility crews successfully completed complex repairs to the Transcanyon Waterline late last week and resumed pumping water without identifying any new breaks. The park will operate under Stage 3 water restrictions until the water storage tanks have adequate capacity to return to routine water conservation practices. Grand Canyon National Park temporarily suspended overnight hotel accommodations on Aug. 29. Since July 8 the 12½ mile-long Transcanyon Waterline, which supplies water from the canyon for use in the park, has had four significant breaks. Until highly complex repairs to the waterline were complete last week no water was being pumped to either the South or North Rim and the park’s water storage was quickly falling to unsustainable levels. This transition to Stage 3 is a step toward normalizing park operations while ensuring the sustainable management of water resources. We appreciate the cooperation and patience of our visitors and community members as we work to restore these vital visitor services. Key Updates for South Rim:Overnight accommodations: Beginning September 5, overnight accommodations will resume at park lodges. This includes facilities 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. Reservations are now open, and visitors can book stays at these locations.Camping: Dry camping will still be permitted, and water spigots at Mather Campground and Desert View Campground will remain turned off. However, visitors can access water at the Mather Campground check-in kiosk. Fire Restrictions: Fire restrictions will continue for the South Rim, prohibiting all wood burning, charcoal fires, and campfires in South Rim and inner canyon areas to support water conservation efforts. Ongoing Conservation Measures: Visitors and residents are encouraged to continue practicing water conservation:
SEP. 1, 2024 UPDATE:Grand Canyon National Park crews continue to make progress on restoring full water availability to the park following a series of four significant breaks in the 12½ mile-long Transcanyon Waterline. On Aug. 29, the park implemented State 4 water restrictions, which included temporarily suspending overnight hotel services. Park water utility crews have completed essential repairs and the waterline was successfully repressurized. The park is actively monitoring the system to ensure repairs hold and that no new breaks occur following repressurization and regular water flow. It will take multiple days of successfully pumping water without issue to restore enough water capacity in the park holding tanks to be in a position to transition down to Stage 3 water restrictions. We are optimistic that, barring any further complications, we will be able to resume regular water services and full-service overnight lodging by next weekend. We thank the public and our community for their patience and cooperation during this period. Why is Grand Canyon National Park temporarily closing to overnight lodgers? Grand Canyon National Park implemented Stage 4 water restrictions on the South Rim starting the afternoon of Thursday, August 29, due to a series of four significant breaks in the 12.5 mile-long Transcanyon Waterline that supplies water from the canyon for use in the park. Since July 8, the park has faced challenges with water supply, and currently, no water is being pumped to either the South or North Rim. In response to this situation Grand Canyon National Park must reduce water use and will close to overnight lodgers. Will the campgrounds remain open? Only dry camping will be permitted. Spigot access at campgrounds on the South Rim will be turned off, though faucets in restrooms will remain operational. Water spigot access will be available at the Mather Campground dump station. The North Rim campground will remain open, and water will be available at spigots as well as the restrooms. Will backcountry permits be cancelled? Backcountry permits will not be cancelled or rescheduled. Because of unexpected waterline breaks, backcountry users and hikers are reminded that they should be prepared to carry all the water that they need, or be able to filter or treat creek water. To check the current availability of drinking water on corridor trails, visit the Key Hiking Messages webpage. Will there be food service available for visitors? Most food and beverage services will remain open, including restaurants inside of hotels and lodges. Exceptions are the cafeteria at the Yavapai Lodge and the Deli at the Canyon Village Market, which will be closed. The Phantom Cantina window will remain open for hikers and river runners to purchase snacks and beverages. Will restrooms and water be available for visitor use? Restrooms and water will remain available for visitor use on both the South and North Rims. What about the North Rim Lodge? Will it remain open? North Rim has a larger reserve of water so the Grand Canyon Lodge will remain open. We ask North Rim water users to reduce water use by following water conservation measures such as turning water off while brushing teeth and limiting showers to five minutes or less. Will fire restrictions be in place? Fires are currently not allowed on the South Rim and in the inner canyon. Fire restrictions prohibit all wood burning and charcoal fires, including campfires, warming fires, and charcoal barbeques. For more information on fire restrictions, visit the park’s Fire Information webpage. The North Rim will remain in Stage 1 fire restrictions which means fires are only allowed within designated campfire rings.
What are Stage 4 Water restrictions? The park implements Stage 4 water restrictions when reserve water tanks at Grand Canyon National Park approach levels which might be too low to sustainably support both drinking water and fire suppression for the park. Restrictions include:
Has the park looked into disposable dishes to conserve water? The park has decided not to require disposable dishes because of the amount of waste generated. Why doesn’t the park truck water in for visitors? The park will not import water by truck because the cost of supplying enough for visitor use would be prohibitive and unable to keep up with the demand. At what point would the South Rim close to visitors? Though we are not anticipating this outcome, the park would close to visitors and would close visitor services when water level in the reserve tanks approached 5 ft. This level might be too low to sustainably support both drinking water and fire suppression for the park. Will there be shuttle service through the weekend? Yes, shuttle service will run through Labor Day weekend. The Tusayan (Purple) Route shuttle will run through Friday, September 6. BackgroundWhat is the Transcanyon Waterline (TCWL)? Constructed in the 1960s, the TCWL is the 12.5 mile long aluminum waterline that provides the potable water for all facilities on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park as well as inner canyon facilities in the Cross Canyon Corridor within the park. More specifically, the TCWL provides the potable water supply for the approximately 5 million annual visitors and 2,500 permanent residents on the South Rim, as well as permanent residents and annual visitors at Phantom Ranch. Water delivered via the TCWL also provides fire suppression for all South Rim and inner canyon facilities including over 800 historic buildings. Where is the Transcanyon Waterline? The starting point and water source for this water system is Roaring Springs Cave Complex, which is approximately 3,500 feet below the North Rim at the confluence of Roaring Springs Canyon and Bright Angel Canyon. In general, water is conveyed by gravity through the 12.5 mile waterline from Roaring Springs, along the North Kaibab trail, over the Colorado River, and back up to the Indian Garden Pump Stations. The Havasupai Gardens Pump Stations lift water up to the South Rim distribution system. Why is the National Park Service replacing the Transcanyon Waterline? The National Park Service is replacing the Transcanyon Waterline (TCWL) because the TCWL is well beyond its expected useful life, experiences frequent failures, and requires continuous inner-canyon maintenance work to repair leaks. Planning for the replacement of the TCWL began 13 years ago. Since 2010 there have been over 85 breaks in the waterline. In the past month a series of four major breaks in the waterline have disrupted water delivery to the north and south rims. These breaks are expensive to repair, dangerous for employees, and negatively impact the visitor experience. Costs for a single isolated waterline break often exceed $25,000. Access to the inner canyon where breaks occur is by trail and helicopter only. Conditions in the inner canyon include extreme terrain and high temperatures which increase risk to employees during repair operations. During high visitation, with water restrictions, GRCA has a maximum two weeks of water storage for the South Rim. The park has a five-stage water conservation plan that restricts water use when a break interrupts delivery. Where does Grand Canyon National Park get its water from? Will it ever run out? Roaring Springs provides all the water for all of Grand Canyon National Park. Roaring Springs is a natural spring located 3,500 ft. below the North Rim of Grand Canyon. Snowmelt primarily recharges Roaring Springs, but other rainfall events also contribute. The South Rim of Grand Canyon receives water from Roaring Springs via the Transcanyon Waterline. The North Rim of Grand Canyon receives water from Roaring Springs via the Roaring Springs Pump Station and North Rim waterline. After the completion of the TCWL, the South Rim will receive its water from Bright Angel Creek and the North Rim will continue to receive its water from roaring springs via a new section of waterline. 
• Limit showers to 5 minutes or less • Reuse towels and bedsheets • Turn off water when brushing teeth, shaving, and washing dishes • Flush the toilet selectively • Stop watering lawns or gardens and do not wash vehicles |
Last updated: September 3, 2024