Evacuations lifted, Highway 160 reopened in Pagosa Springs after "extreme" flooding in southern Colorado town
Evacuations have been lifted and U.S. Highway 160 has reopened in Pagosa Springs after what officials in southern Colorado described as "extreme flooding conditions."
Mandatory evacuations were ordered late Saturday night after the San Juan River more than doubled its average flow.
"After a thorough inspection, the Highway 160 bridge at First Street has been declared safe and is now fully open to regular traffic," the town wrote in a Facebook post Sunday, just after 8 a.m. "However, standing water and debris remain in various areas, posing ongoing safety risks. As a precaution, all parks and the surrounding downtown areas along the San Juan River will remain temporarily closed to the public. Authorities urge all residents and visitors to avoid these areas until further notice."
The Ross Aragon Community Center at 451 Hot Springs Blvd. served as an emergency shelter for displaced residents.
Pagosa Springs' mayor and town council issued a local emergency declaration that will be in effect for seven days, until further notice. It was unclear if the declaration had been lifted, in light of the evacuation orders being cancelled.
"The magnitude of this event has exceeded the Town's capacity to respond with available resources, and immediate action is necessary to protect life and property and maintain critical infrastructure and public safety," the declaration read, in part.
The evacuation order affected everyone on Hermosa Street and San Juan Street east of Hot Springs Boulevard.
Videos posted across social media and sent to CBS News Colorado show high water levels flowing violently through an overflowing San Juan River, as some residents put sandbags in front of their doors to prevent floodwaters from entering their homes.
One resident, Diane Ludwig, shared before and after photos from Saturday morning and Saturday evening, the "after" photo showing fields of grass completely submerged.
"Huge trees have been moving down river all day," she said Saturday from her home near Highway 160, about a half-mile north of town.
The river was flowing at approximately 7,200 cubic feet per second at the time of the evacuation. The average, natural flow of the river is 2,900 cubic feet per second, according to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
A flood warning is in effect through 9 a.m. on Sunday in Archuleta County and a flood watch is in effect through Tuesday morning, according to the National Weather Service.
Wolf Creek Pass, about 30 miles north, is also closed because of a flash flood risk near South Fork Rio Grande.
Residents are encouraged to sign up for alerts through Nixle at https://local.nixle.com/register.