Flooding Forces Southwest Evacuations and Changes Colorado Voting Plans

Flooding continued across the Southwest on November 2 after heavy weekend rain, with some rivers beginning to fall and others still rising. The National Weather Service said as much as 4 inches of additional rain might reach the Four Corners area. More dry weather was expected in the following days as the rain moved away.

In Colorado, roads across La Plata County were closed because of flooding and bridge damage, while residents along the Animas River were evacuated. In Pagosa Springs, the San Juan River reached 16.81 feet before receding. Officials had warned of potentially catastrophic flooding; the river reached about 17.8 feet in a devastating 1911 flood. The town had reimposed an evacuation order on Saturday after lifting one from the previous week.

Flooding led Colorado’s secretary of state to arrange options for Pagosa Springs voters. Residents affected by the floods can request a replacement mail ballot at a voter center anywhere in the state. In-person voters outside their home county can vote only in statewide contests, while mail ballots can be returned to any state drop box or voter center by 7 p.m. on Election Day. Some county offices planned special hours.

In New Mexico, evacuations were ordered along the San Juan River, including in Navajo communities, and the Rio Chama remained under a flood warning through Tuesday. In Arizona, communities near swollen waterways were evacuated, and crews conducted swift-water rescues. Flagstaff recorded severe flooding; a 73-year-old man who fell into fast-moving water was found dead. Police also found another man dead in a drainage area and said the death appeared weather-related.

In Pagosa Springs, Bruin Coffee owner Katie German said she feared the town’s only bridge could wash out, cutting off deliveries of food and fuel. She said she was concerned for her business, employees and the community. In Pinetop-Lakeside, flooding caused sewage to back up into homes, the local sanitary district said.