Communities across southern Colorado are regrouping Sunday after heavy rains dropped more than 6 inches of rain in some areas in just two and a half days. And more rain is in the forecast for the region to start the week.
Swelling rivers, washed out roads and rock slides were seen across the southern part of the state, and hundreds of homes in La Plata County were evacuated Saturday near Vallecito Reservoir, which is about 12 miles northeast of Durango. The area received 5.2 inches of rain from early Friday morning to early Sunday morning, according to the National Weather Service Grand Junction office.
La Plata County officials said Sunday night that two homes “may be a total loss” and another 90 homes have been damaged. Nearly 400 homes remain in the evacuation area.
In Pagosa Springs, the San Juan River late Saturday afternoon posted the third highest crest since 1911.
Flood watches and warnings remain in effect until midnight Tuesday, according to the NWS. There is a potential for another round of heavy rainfall on Monday and Tuesday, which could lead to more flooding, the agency said in a flood watch issued Sunday morning. The watch and warning area includes Archuleta, Hinsdale, La Plata and San Juan counties as well as north of Vallecito Reservoir.
“Tropical moisture will stream northward from the remnants of (tropical depression) Raymond bringing another chance for widespread heavy rain increasing the threat of flash flooding across portions of southwest Colorado Monday into Tuesday,” the watch states.
Rainfall totals in the San Juan Mountains are forecast at 1-2 inches through Tuesday, and 3-4 inches are possible, the weather service said. With the ground already saturated and river levels running high, the NWS warned Sunday night that flooding may occur “with little additional rainfall.”
The weather service recorded 6.3 inches of rain from Friday to Sunday morning on Wolf Creek Pass, which is along U.S. 160 where the highway makes its path across southern Colorado to Durango. Other rainfall totals include 5.6 inches in the Weminuche Wilderness Area (west of Wolf Creek Pass), 3.1 inches at the Pagosa Airport and 2.5 inches at the Durango Airport. The pass was closed for a while Saturday afternoon, but reopened late Saturday night.
La Plata County Search and Rescue flew over the Pine River to the Weminuche Wilderness to look for stranded hikers or hunters after a footbridge over the Pine River was washed out. Crews did not find anyone. Officials are scheduled to fly over the flooded area Monday and Tuesday to assess the damage, the county said Sunday night.
“Tropical moisture brought impressive rainfall to portions of southwest Colorado,” the weather service said in a social media post Sunday morning. “Several stations measured over 5 inches of rain in a 2.5-day period.”
Boil-water advisory issued
No deaths or injuries have been reported as of Sunday. The Upper Pine River Fire Protection District and La Plata County Sheriff’s officials on Saturday made 11 high-water rescues, most near where a levy broke on the east side of Vallecito Creek causing flooding on Tucker Lane. The last rescue was of someone who did not evacuate when asked and then needed help after floodwater covered their driveway, the county said in a social media post.
Mandatory evacuations for Pagosa Springs were lifted Sunday morning, according to the Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office, but the area remains on pre-evacuation status with more rain in the forecast. The county has declared a local disaster emergency, which means it can request state and federal emergency help. La Plata County has also declared a disaster emergency because of the flooding.
Sunday afternoon Gov. Jared Polis activated the State Emergency Operations Plan with a verbal disaster declaration to complement the counties’ work. The action, among other things, authorized the state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management to do what is necessary to aid flooded communities. The announcement said the state may have already spent as much as $1 million in the disaster, including work by the state Department of Transportation and the state health department.
A boil-water advisory was issued Saturday for people with water wells and/or septic systems along the San Juan River. The notice from the Archuleta County health department noted the flooding, a wastewater overflow into the river and a water main break.
Archuleta County Sheriff Mike Le Roux said Sunday that the San Juan River was flowing at more than 8,270 CSF at a depth of nearly 12.7 feet the day before, flooding trails, hot springs and picnic tables in the downtown Pagosa Springs area. He advised residents to be cautious when traveling in the area and warned that tropical storm Raymond may drop another 2.5 to 3.6 inches of rain between Monday afternoon and Wednesday.
At the north end of Vallecito Reservoir, where Vallecito and Grimes creeks broke out of their channels on Saturday, the Upper Pine River Fire Protection district said evacuated residents cannot return home until the flood area is deemed safe.
They must have “rapid tag” credentials to return, La Plata County government said in a social media post. A community meeting is set for 6 p.m. Monday at the Vallecito Community Center.
On Friday, 1.35 inches of rain fell at the Grand Junction Regional Airport, more than double the previous single-day mark for that date of 0.54 inches in 1969, the weather service said.