Overview
- The Archuleta County Sheriff's Office has ordered mandatory evacuations for all low-lying and flood-prone areas along the San Juan, Rio Blanco, Navajo and Piedra rivers to protect residents from rising waters.
- Governor Jared Polis declared a disaster emergency on October 22, which activates the state emergency plan and authorizes the Colorado National Guard to support response and recovery operations.
- The American Red Cross opened evacuation centers in Pagosa Springs and Durango and local officials set up mass sandbagging operations using a machine provided by the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
- Multiple roads are closed because of flood damage and washouts, including CO 151 south of US 160 and sections of U.S. 160, and officials are advising drivers to use alternate routes such as CO 172 through Ignacio and to never drive through floodwater.
- Weeks of heavy rain have saturated soils and, together with potential snowmelt above Wolf Creek Pass, have kept river forecasts and evacuation boundaries volatile so officials say residents should follow local alerts and be prepared for changing conditions.