Officials issued evacuation orders for areas along the San Juan, Rio Blanco, Navajo, and Piedra rivers in Pagosa Springs. Sheriff’s spokesperson Vicki Shaffer said, “This flood, they’re saying it’s going to reach historic levels.” Officials fear rising waters and washed-out roads will trap residents and hunters after recent heavy rains.
The evacuation order covers areas along the Rio Blanco, San Juan, Navajo and Piedra rivers. The warning comes just one week after flooding washed out multiple roads across the county, leaving officials concerned that additional rainfall could worsen conditions.
Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Vicki Shaffer said the San Juan River had already begun rising after rain moved through the area on Friday. “This flood, they’re saying it’s going to reach historic levels,” Shaffer said. “There was a flood in 1911 that reached 17.8 feet. This flood for this week is expected to reach 16.9 feet.”
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued flood warnings for the region and urged residents to monitor river conditions and follow evacuation instructions as additional rainfall is forecast.
Officials order evacuation
Authorities warned that emergency responders may be unable to reach people who remain in evacuation zones once floodwaters rise. “If they choose to stay, they need to realize that we may not be able to reach them once the flooding starts,” Shaffer said. “They may be on their own.”
Officials have also asked guests staying at hotels and visitors using Pagosa Springs’ hot springs to evacuate because many of the facilities sit directly along the San Juan River.
“Those hot springs… are part of the evacuation zone,” Shaffer said. She added that businesses near the river had already experienced flooding last year and again during last week’s storms.
Residents needing assistance to evacuate have been instructed to contact the Archuleta County non-emergency dispatch line at (970) 731-2160.
Concern for hunters and washed-out roads
Emergency officials expressed concern for hunters in Colorado’s higher elevations who may not yet know that roads leading back to town have been damaged.
“They’ve been out all week,” Shaffer said. “We’re concerned that once they try to come out, they’re going to realized that they’re stuck behind washed-out roads.”
The flooding threat follows several days of unstable weather across southern Colorado. Meteorologists have warned that saturated ground and swollen rivers increase the risk of flash flooding even if rainfall totals remain moderate.