Pagosa Springs Braces for Historic Flooding as Southwest Rains Spread

Officials in Pagosa Springs urged people in low-lying areas to leave as the San Juan River threatened to reach a historic crest late Sunday. A county sheriff’s office projection placed the river’s possible height at 21.9 feet, above the roughly 17.8-foot level recorded in the devastating 1911 flood. By sundown Sunday, the river had risen to about 14 feet, a county spokesperson said.

The evacuation warning covered communities near the San Juan, Rio Blanco, Navajo and Piedra waterways. Officials cautioned that emergency crews could have limited ability to reach people during the worst weather, and helicopters might be unable to fly. Search-and-rescue teams, aircraft and other specialized help were being brought in. Highway 160 was set to close to inbound traffic at 4 p.m., while people could still leave town.

Flooding and mandatory evacuations were also reported across Arizona and elsewhere in the Southwest. Sedona officials ordered people near Oak Creek to evacuate as rising water trapped people in homes. Gila County ordered the full evacuation of Gisela, and communities near swollen waterways in Yavapai County and Camp Verde issued similar orders.

In Pima County, emergency crews had conducted at least 16 river rescues by 3 p.m. Sunday, as floodwater stranded motorists and forced road closures. Rain was expected to continue through Monday, with the National Weather Service estimating as much as four inches could fall across the region. Flood watches and warnings covered most of Arizona and parts of several neighboring states.