Floodwaters Surge to 15 Feet, Stranding 50 Residents and Damaging 500 Homes in Colorado

The San Juan River in Pagosa Springs crested at more than 15 feet on the morning of Oct. 23, marking the highest recorded level in 115 years. This surge in water level occurred after heavy rain pushed the river from its normal 5-foot baseline over a short period. The extreme flow took until early Saturday to subside to the level seen during last year’s flood, which local officials had previously termed a 100-year event.

Archuleta County Board of County Commissioners Chair Warren Brown stated that the storm has damaged more than 800 structures in the region. His assessment includes roughly 540 homes. Brown noted that of the 595 miles of roadway in the county, approximately 150 miles are currently impassable. He added that the recovery process is likely to span several years.

Colorado National Guard teams have rescued an estimated 50 people and 20 pets stranded by the rising waters, according to agency figures as of Thursday. Steve Peck, an operations chief with the Colorado Incident Management Team, specified that at least 38 of those individuals were rescued within Archuleta County. Peck described many residents as living on islands of dry land between completely blocked roads, forcing rescue crews to extract them by vehicle or boat.

The flooding, driven by a Pacific tropical storm and the remnants of Hurricane Trudy, affected 12 counties in southern Colorado and extended into Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico. In Rio Grande and Mineral counties, damage assessment teams have surveyed more than 1,300 homes and businesses. These teams focused on the communities of Monte Vista, Del Norte, and South Fork, where the Rio Grande River flooded local areas.

Pagosa Springs Mayor Shari Pierce and Town Manager David Harris formally declared a local disaster emergency on Thursday. The declaration cites extensive damage to roads, bridges, culverts, and other public infrastructure. Harris noted that experiencing severe flooding in consecutive years has tested the community’s resilience, though staff and neighbors have continued to coordinate response efforts.

State officials estimate that the flood caused roughly $65 million in damages to three main highways: U.S. 160, U.S. 550, and Colorado 151. The Colorado Department of Transportation requested federal assistance on Wednesday to begin emergency repairs. The goal is to make these highways travel-ready before winter, with permanent fixes expected to continue into the spring.

Archuleta County Sheriff Mike Le Roux called the event catastrophic and unprecedented during a community meeting in Pagosa Springs. He stated that the county has not witnessed a natural event of this magnitude in recent memory. No injuries or deaths have been reported from the flooding so far.