ARCHULETA and LA PLATA COUNTIES, Colo. — Residents in Archuleta County were able to go back home Tuesday evening as floodwaters continue to recede following unprecedented rainfall in southwestern Colorado over the past several days.
Deputies had evacuated hundreds of people along the San Juan and Blanco rivers Monday night after remnants of back-to-back tropical storms brought nonstop, heavy downpours to the region over the weekend which continued until Tuesday morning.
Overnight, county officials reported floodwaters had exceeded a peak recorded on Saturday, with water levels reaching nearly 13 feet high before the river flow started to drop, though levels were still too high for anyone to safely go back in.
Earlier in the day, Archuleta County officials said mandatory evacuations were “tentatively scheduled to be lifted” at 4 p.m. Monday, “contingent upon water levels reaching a safe threshold.” That meant water levels had to drop below 9.48 feet, as determined by the National Weather Service (NWS), before residents were allowed to return home.
But that had not yet occurred by then, with river flows showing levels were still at 11.23 feet – about 2 feet higher than the safe threshold, according to San Juan River data from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
Despite water levels being higher than anticipated, deputies said continued reductions in the river flow were enough to allow residents back in, though they added they were still assessing infrastructure throughout the county to make sure residents would be able to back into impacted areas.
COMMUNITY REACTS TO FLOODING IN PAGOSA SPRINGS
People stopped in downtown Pagosa Springs throughout Tuesday to see the rise of the San Juan River, which at times had massive logs and pieces of debris sweeping through.
Growing up in Pagosa Springs, Leo Baughman told Denver7 the town typically sees snow, not flooding, to cancel school.
"It's insane. I don't think I've ever seen anything like this, definitely not this high," he said. "I think we've all just been looking up the historic records, and this is the highest it's been in a hundred years."
According to the Archuleta County Sheriff's Office, the highest recorded flood in the county happened in 1911, with the second highest happening in 1927. The flooding on Saturday was described as the "third-highest recorded flood," but the sheriff's office said Tuesday's floodwaters had "exceeded the peak that occurred on Saturday, reaching a high of 12.73ft at 8,400 cfs."
For some locals, it felt like a historical moment to watch the river in full force. Craig Miller has lived in Pagosa Springs for over 41 years and shared the same sentiment as Baughman.
"No, never, and I've talked to people that have been here longer than I have, and they haven't ever seen it this way before, either," Miller said.
Looking out at the roar of the river, several pointed out the flooding at Springs Resort, with umbrellas and signs submerged in water. Jesse Hensle, vice president of marketing for the Springs Resort, said pool crews tried to battle the flooding on Saturday and were back working again as ten pools were underwater.
"This is one of those situations where you roll with the punches, you come together as a team, you come together as a family, and you just strive and you get through all of this, and then we'll look back and say, 'Wow, can you remember that time?' This will be a memory for everybody. It'll be a moment," Hensle said.
Denver7's Maggy Wolanske met with Pagosa Springs Town Manager David Harris to learn about next steps for the community. He said several properties that were damaged by Saturday's flood were also damaged on Tuesday, as it was the "same height of water coming through."
"We know we have a broken sewer pipe, we know that we have other infrastructure issues," Harris said. "We can start putting together a long-term and a more long-term plan to fix that, and the same with private property. They're going through the same reaction, going through a triage, and they'll move into recovery mode here very soon."
Moving forward, those who call this area home know they do not have to go through this historic flooding alone, as they have each other to lean on.
"I think we're divided people right now, but in times of danger and of uncertainty, we come together," Baughman said.
LA PLATA COUNTY RESIDENTS STILL UNDER EVACUATION ORDERS
Though residents in Archuleta County will be able to return home, residents in La Plata County will still have to wait a little longer before they can do the same.
Over 390 homes northeast of Vallecito Reservoir in La Plata County remain under mandatory evacuation orders as water levels in the area remain high.
Earlier Tuesday, La Plata County officials said emergency workers were still seeing additional breaches along Vallecito Creek that had not flooded Saturday, and added they were working hard to come up with a re-entry plan for evacuees.
“It is anticipated that evacuations will be lifted for resident access only on Thursday, October 16 for all residents at 8AM,” La Plata County officials said in a news release, adding residents who need earlier access to their homes to get medication can return Wednesday at 8 a.m., so long as they’re escorted by a deputy from the sheriff’s office.
A map of the evacuation area can be seen here.
Lifting those evacuation orders is a decision based on a number of factors besides the safety of the public and first responders, deputies said Tuesday.
“Are the private roads passable and safe? Are the homes on private wells and septic systems that may be unusable, or do they have water and sewer provided?” a spokesperson from the county’s emergency operations center said.
Officials said emergency responders and damage assessment teams from both La Plata County and the Upper Pine River Fire Protection District still need more time to assess how safe the area might be prior to lifting evacuations, and quoted the fire district’s chief by saying that, “Recovery can be as dangerous as the event if people aren’t careful.”
ROAD CLOSURES PERSIST IN LA PLATA COUNTY AFTER FLOODS
In an update Tuesday, deputies said several private roads are still impassable after Vallecito Creek and Grimes Creek jumped their banks due to the continuous rain: Ponderosa Homes Road, Ponderosa Homes Drive, West Grimes Road, West Vallecito Creek Road and River Bed Road.
Crews are also still working on evaluating the safety of all impacted county bridges and roads and are doing repair work and rock and mud removal along the way.
“There is quite a bit of minor flooding in other areas of La Plata County and CR 124 is closed at mile marker 4 due to severe road damage,” deputies said Tuesday. “Road and bridge crews saved the bridge on CR 124 near mile marker 8, but the road may not open prior to the annual winter closure.”
- Denver7 was in the area affected by the flood zone as crews worked tirelessly to clean up damage from the floods. Watch our report in the video player below:
Officials are urging motorists to drive slowly and carefully as they may encounter debris and mud on the roads throughout the county.
La Plata County deputies said the Colorado Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (COVOAD) was working on a response page for residents affected whose property was affected by the floods through this link, though people can also call Crisis Cleanup line at 970-283-7325. Other resources are available through 211 Colorado, by calling 211 or by going to their website.
POLIS ADMINISTRATION EXTENDS TAX DEADLINES FOR THOSE AFFECTED
Gov. Jared Polis has declared a disaster in southwestern Colorado due to the unprecedented floods, and as a result of the declaration, the Colorado Department of Revenue is offering help to people and businesses by extending deadlines for some state tax filings to December 31.
“We are supporting the Coloradans who have been impacted by these devastating floods every way we can, and that includes extending our state’s tax deadlines,” Gov. Polis said in a statement. "I continue monitoring the situation very closely, and emergency and our public safety resources are actively engaged in response and recovery efforts."
The tax deadline extension will apply to income tax extensions due on October 15 and sales taxes due on October 20.
The extension will allow taxpayers to ask for penalty waivers for other taxes and fees due during October, including, for example, marijuana, fuel, and the retailer delivery fee by contacting the state department of revenue at 303-238-7378 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays.
The relief is for state taxes only, a spokesperson for the governor’s office said Tuesday. It does not apply in cities or counties that collect their own taxes.
The floods have so far destroyed two homes and caused floodwater damage to nearly 100 others.
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