Officials in Archuleta County and the Town of South Fork ordered mandatory evacuations on Sunday as Pagosa Springs flooding threatened to push the San Juan River to 19.71 feet, near the level reached in 1911. People in low-lying areas around Pagosa Springs were told to leave immediately.
San Juan River forecast
Archuleta County officials said the river was rising faster than originally anticipated and could crest as early as 6 p.m. Sunday, with earlier forecasts pointing to 11 p.m. Sunday. The National Weather Service kept a flood warning in place through Monday evening and added a Particularly Dangerous Situation tag.
The current forecast was nearly 2 feet above the 1911 crest level of about 17.8 feet, when the San Juan River wiped out most of what was then the town of Pagosa. For residents in the evacuation zones along the San Juan, Rio Blanco, Navajo and Piedra rivers, the order means leaving before conditions deteriorate further.
Evacuation zones and sheltering
Officials said Pagosa Springs would close to incoming traffic at 2 p.m. Sunday. Traffic could leave, but vehicles were not allowed to enter, including re-entry into the area.
The American Red Cross opened evacuation shelters across Southwest Colorado, and Open Door Church at 110 Trinity Lane in Pagosa Springs was being used as a shelter. Members of the South Metro Fire Rescue and Members of the Northern Colorado Water Rescue Teams were deployed on Sunday to the area.
Response limits in Southwest Colorado
Officials said the response during the worst of the storm would be extremely limited. Helicopters would be grounded, and first responders may not be able to reach people in danger until the storm passes and conditions improve.
That leaves evacuees with one clear step: leave now, before access is restricted further and before the river reaches the crest projected for Sunday evening. The open question for residents is which specific neighborhoods and evacuation zones in Pagosa Springs and South Fork fall under the mandatory order.
