The Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office and the town of Pagosa Springs have evacuated residents in several low-lying areas along the four rivers due to flooding.
A mandatory evacuation order was issued shortly before 2 p.m. for areas near the San Juan, Rio Blanco, Navajo, and Piedra rivers.
The area had anticipated flooding over the last two days. The Upper San Juan Search & Rescue, Archuleta County Public Works Department, and the Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office began filling sandbags after receiving a flood watch advisory that was expected to last through Friday earlier in the week.
But the National Weather Service in Grand Junction issued a flood warning at 5:44 p.m. Thursday for Archuleta County through 5:45 a.m. Friday.
There have been several road closures due to flooding in Archuleta County:
- County Road 500 (Impassable from Mile Marker 12 to Hwy 151)
- North Pagosa Boulevard from approximately Mile Marker 3.5 (Gate 5) to Hatcher Circle
- CO 151, South of the US 160 Junction (Mile Points 28 to 33)
- Hermosa and San Juan Streets in Pagosa Springs.
Southeastern La Plata County is also under a flood warning until midnight Thursday night. A pre-evacuation order was issued for the residents in the North Vallecito area near 6 p.m. this evening.
The Colorado Department of Transportation had already closed US 550 Red Mountain Pass between Silverton and Ouray in anticipation of heavy rainfall and heavy flooding.
La Plata County officials reported County Road 509 on the west end near Dry Creek collapsed due to a lost culvert because of the heavy rain, mud, and debris on the roadway caused by the flooding.
Other roads in La Plata County are closed due to flooding and heavy rain:
- County Road 309, quarter-mile north of County Road 310
- County Road 334 at 5962 County Road 334
Crews in La Plata County are advising drivers to use extreme caution around the intersection of County Road 513 and County Road 510. There is road damage, but it’s drivable in one lane.