Flood Wreckage at Thistle Lake on April 18, 1983
US 89 (Utah County)--Photographs
Disasters--Utah-Spanish Fork Canyon
This image documents the Thistle Flood that began in April 1983 with a massive mud slide that created an earthen dam, blocking the flow of the Spanish Fork River. In addition to severing Highway 89 as a transportation route, the dam destroyed the Denver and Rio Grande Western railroad tracks, cutting off the railroad link between Salt Lake and Denver. As flood waters rose, the town of Thistle (located on Highway 89) was inundated with the water that would form Thistle Lake. Massive construction efforts were made between 1983 and 1984 to reconstruct rail and road lines, as well as divert and drain water from Thistle Lake into the nearby Spanish Fork River.
Utah Department of Transportation
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 1, Folder 2, Photo 83034-32.
Reproduction for publication, exhibition, web display or commercial use is only permissible with the consent of the Utah State Archives, phone (801) 533-3535.
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Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 1, Folder 3, Photo 83034-67.
Construction Pipes at Thistle on April 18, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 1, Folder 3, Photo 83034-96.
Railroad Tracks Underwater Near Thistle on April 19, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 1, Folder 4, Photo 83044-23.
Aerial View of Buildings Underwater at Thistle Lake on April 19, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 1, Folder 4, Photo 83044-27.
Road Sign Underwater at Thistle Lake on April 19, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 1, Folder 4, Photo 83044-45.
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 1, Folder 7, Photo 83037-30.
Construction at the Thistle Mudslide Area on April 21, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 1, Folder 8, Photo 83037-124.
Aerial View of the Thistle Mudslide and Road Closure on April 18, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 1, Folder 11, Photo 83042-60.
Aerial View of the Thistle Mudslide and Flood on April 18, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 1, Folder 11, Photo 83042-68.
Mudslide and Debris at Thistle Lake on April 19, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 1, Folder 12, Photo 83044-9.
Flood Water Rising on Highway 89 on April 19, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 1, Folder 12, Photo 83044-40.
Thistle Townsite Underwater on April 19,1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 1, Folder 12, Photo 83044-43.
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 1, Folder 15, Photo 83053-12.
Aerial View of Early Flooding in Thistle on April 28, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 1, Folder 15, Photo 83053-16.
Halls Falls Water Diversion Area on May 25, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 1, Folder 58, Photo 83100-1.
Water Diversion at Thistle Lake on May 25, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 1, Folder 58, Photo 83100-22.
Aerial View of Thistle Lake on May 26, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 1, Folder 59, Photo 83101-14.
Mr. and Mrs Charles E. Peterson at Thistle Lake on May 28, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 1, Folder 61, Photo 83109-1.
Unidentified Man with American Flag at Flooded Thistle Ruins on May 29, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 1, Folder 63, Photo 83110-25.
Construction Blasting in Spanish Fork Canyon on May 31, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 1, Folder 64, Photo 83119-47.
Water Diversion Construction Work Near Thistle on June 01, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 1, Folder 65, Photo 83121-45.
Construction Equipment Near Thistle Lake Water Diversion Area on June 01, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 1, Folder 66, Photo 83127-7.
Water Diversion Tunnel Construction Near Thistle on June 01, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 1, Folder 67, Photo 83121-157.
Construction at the Water Diversion Area Near Thistle Lake on June 01, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 1, Folder 68, Photo 83121-160.
Unidentified People at the Halls Falls Water Diversion Area on June 02, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 1, Folder 69, Photo 83122-20.
Aerial View of the Thistle Construction Area on June 03, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 1, Folder 70, Photo 83125-52.
Aerial View of Thistle Lake and the Thistle Mudslide on June 03, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 1, Folder 70, Photo 83125-58.
Building Underwater at Thistle Lake on June 03, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 1, Folder 70, Photo 83125-70.
Aerial View of the Thistle Mudslide on June 03, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 1, Folder 71, Photo 83125-54.
Railroad Track Construction Near Thistle on June 09, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 1, Folder 72, Photo 83131-61.
Halls Falls and Railroad Line Construction Near Thistle on June 09, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 1, Folder 73, Photo 83131-4.
Thistle Creek Diversion Project Area Headquarters on June 15, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 2, Folder 1, Photo 83136-15.
Thistle Construction Area on June 18, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 2, Folder 4, Photo 83139-36.
Halls Falls and Thistle Lake Water Diversion Area on June 18, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 2, Folder 5, Photo 83139-16.
Water Diversion Pipes at Thistle Lake on June 21, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 2, Folder 9, Photo 83143-16.
Construction at the Thistle Mudslide Area on June 21, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 2, Folder 9, Photo 83143-2.
Railroad Diversion Tunnel Construction Near Thistle on July 06, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 2, Folder 11, Photo 83147-6.
Looking Out of the Railroad Diversion Tunnel Near Thistle on July 06, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 2, Folder 11, Photo 83147-12.
Looking In to the Railroad Diversion Tunnel Near Thistle on July 06, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 2, Folder 11, Photo 83147-13.
Railroad Tunnels Near Thistle on July 06, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 2, Folder 11, Photo 83147-15.
New Railroad Line Near Thistle on July 05, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 2, Folder 12, Photo 83148-41.
Rio Grande Train on the New Railroad Line Near Thistle on July 05, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 2, Folder 12, Photo 83148-52.
Thistle Lake Drainage Pipes on July 05, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 2, Folder 13, Photo 83148-2.
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 2, Folder 13, Photo 83148-5.
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 2, Folder 13, Photo 83148-11.
Drainage Operations at Thistle Lake on July 05, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 2, Folder 13, Photo 83148-65.
Thistle Lake Drainage Intake Tunnel on July 05, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 2, Folder 13, Photo 83156-124.
Water Diversion Bridge Near Thistle on July 05, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 2, Folder 13, Photo 83156-130.
Halls Falls Water Diversion at Thistle on July 05, 1983
Utah State Archives and Records Service, Official Photographs: Thistle Disaster Documentation, Series 25229, Box 2, Folder 13, Photo 83156-142.