See Shiprock Bridge for more flood photos.
After 3 days, the river crest reached the US-163 Bridge.
I'm impressed not only by the intensity of the rain storm, but how widespread the storm was. I saw Facebook posts that show that Durango and the Animas River were also stressed.
This is another view of some of the flooded pools.
This is evidently Farmington or Bloomfield. The report says that they had to rescue people from rooftops and that the river has yet to crest.
I think the red areas indicate mandatory evacuation.
The Navajo Dam did catch some of the water. But the Animas River joins the San Juan River in Farminton.
Actually, it is the Los Pinos River downstream of the Vallecito Dam; upstream of the reservoir it is called Vallecito Creek. But I still could not find this bridge.
The water in the background of the reels is going over a floodplain.
He makes it straight through, but he had to paddle hard. Earlier in the reel he was paddling sideways to aim for this spot. That is, he avoided the wall of water in the middle of this view.
 |
| OutThere Colorado posted A massive stretch of highway headed into town is closed due to debris. This is likely to be an extended closure, per CDOT. https://www.denvergazette.com/.../disaster-emergency.../ "Flood waters near the Pagosa Springs Visitor Center (Town of Pagosa Springs)" |
That visitor center and parking lot is on a rather high river bank. It is hard to capture in a single street view, but if you "cruise" around the area you can see that it is normally well above the river.
 |
| Street View, Nov 2018 |
The town has zoned a flood plain, but it was not sufficient for this rain. Note that 7th and Florida Streets are closed.
 |
| Satellite |
As Denver Gazette article says, US-160 is closed east of town. The popups say it is closed until Oct 26. That article also says that US-160 is closed west of town and that US-84 is the only access to the town. But I could not find any closures on US-160 west of town when I looked on Oct 24.
 |
| Satellite |
I'm impressed not only by the intensity of the rain storm, but how widespread the storm was. I saw Facebook posts that show that Durango and the Animas River were also stressed.
 |
| All Things Pagosa posted Highway road closures in our area. There are additional non-highway closures in lots of other areas. |
According to some comments on other posts, the damaged road is in Red Mountain Pass. And it is open with traffic lights allowing alternate usage of one lane.
 |
| DenverGazzette (source) |
I saw a video that showed that all of these pools were under the river's water.
I found that video. I presume the flooded area is designed to be power washed after a flood.
 |
| Justin Porterfield, Nov 2015 |
I found that video. I presume the flooded area is designed to be power washed after a flood.
 |
| Facebook Reel |
This is another view of some of the flooded pools.
 |
| 1 of 4 photos posted by Meteorologist Eric Graves Pagosa Springs, CO today. This was worse than last year's historic flooding. 📷 Richie Rich [Does that mean they have had two 100-year floods in two years? (Update: Thrasher's research below calls the 1911 flood a 500-year flood. And states that this flood was worse. So this is a 500-year flood.)] |
I don't know if they were 100-year floods, but they did have two floods in two years.
 |
| Facebook Reel |
Some of the roads are closed because trees were pushed onto them. Others are closed because of washouts. Those are going to take longer to open.
Moose Adventures posted two photos with the comment:
We are safe!! Evacuations are in order in Pagosa Springs for those along the rivers and streams. I think every campsite here has standing water which has never happened before!!But wait….there’s more…. It’s not supposed to stop raining until Sunday afternoon!! 😳These are pictures of N. Pagosa Blvd. We’ve had over 4” in 24 hrs at camp!!!Please keep those evacuated in your thoughts. Praying that Piedre Rd. Doesn’t wash out again like last year. As of this afternoon it was passable.
Moose Adventures: Piedre Rd is now closed as well as wolf creek pass:(
 |
| 1 |
 |
| 2 |
Back to the flooding of the hot springs resort.
 |
| abesh mubaraki, Jun 2020 |
 |
| Facebook Reel |
Look at the debris. Those umbrella tables are strong.
 |
| Facebook Reel |
An upstream view. Is the river even closer to the umbrellas?
 |
| Facebook Reel |
I could not get the unmute button to work properly, so I don't know if there was any narration.
 |
| Facebook Reel |
Below is the above view on a normal day. Not only is the flood plain covered in the video, the river is flowing fast.
 |
| Street View, Jun 2025 |
Backcountry Outfitters - Pagosa Springs, CO posted three photos with the comment:
Our little corner of Colorado is facing some tough conditions right now with the flooding. We're keeping our community, our neighbors, and everyone affected in our thoughts.Please stay safe, look out for one another and take care of your people.
 |
| 1 |
 |
| 2 [The floodplain is doing its job.] |
 |
| 3 [I had to look closer to see that the road is under water.] |
Angel Thrasher posted five images with the comment:
I helped my daughter do a report on the flood of 1911 back when she attended middle here in Pagosa Springs and had some of that info saved!THE GREAT FLOOD OF 1911: WHEN THE SAN JUAN RIVER NEARLY DESTROYED PAGOSA SPRINGS, COLORADOOctober 4–6, 1911 Pagosa Springs and Archuleta County, ColoradoMore than a century before the catastrophic flooding of October 2026, Pagosa Springs endured a disaster so immense that it changed the course of our community's history.On October 5, 1911, after relentless rainfall swept across the San Juan Mountains, the San Juan River became a destructive force that tore apart bridges, carried away homes, destroyed businesses, severed railroad connections, and claimed 2 lives.The catastrophe became known as the Great Flood of 1911.It remains one of the most consequential natural disasters documented in Archuleta County.THE STORM THAT CHANGED EVERYTHINGThe early days of October 1911 began deceptively peacefully.Historical accounts describe Tuesday, October 3, as a beautiful day. By Wednesday, October 4, rain had begun falling across the region.What initially appeared to be welcome autumn precipitation became an unrelenting downpour.Rain fell on ground already saturated by preceding wet weather. Additional moisture poured into the mountain watershed, sending enormous volumes of runoff into the San Juan River and its tributaries.Historical weather records document approximately 3.67 inches of rain at Pagosa Springs during the storm. Modern researchers estimate that roughly 3.5 to 4 inches fell across portions of the region.The San Juan, Animas, San Miguel, Dolores, and other regional rivers surged.In the mountains above town, runoff gathered strength before descending into the valleys.OCTOBER 5, 1911: THE RIVER RISESAccording to the United States Geological Survey, the first warning of serious flooding in Pagosa Springs came at approximately 5:30 a.m. on October 5.Some residents of the low lying neighborhoods initially did not believe the danger could be as severe as predicted.They had little time to comprehend what was coming.Within approximately 6 hours, the river rose dramatically.By around noon, the San Juan reached a recorded historical stage of approximately 17.8 feet, roughly 13 feet above its normal level at the time.It remained near that crest for approximately three hours.Later government investigators estimated the peak discharge at around 25,000 cubic feet per second.That amounts to approximately 187,000 gallons of water passing a single point every second.The 25,000 cubic foot figure was reconstructed from flood evidence years afterward because the original river gauging installation was destroyed.In lower portions of Pagosa Springs, floodwater stood approximately three to five feet deep.The river carried trees, debris, building materials, household possessions, and entire structures.The river that residents had known as a source of beauty and livelihood had become capable of destroying nearly everything in its path.HERMOSA STREET AND THE PARK NEIGHBORHOODAmong the hardest hit locations were Hermosa Street and the area historically known as The Park, one of the community's principal residential neighborhoods.The Pagosa Springs SUN reported that approximately 10 to 15 residences were destroyed, while another 40 to 50 sustained extensive damage.Federal reports documented 18 residences and other buildings destroyed or swept away, while later historical summaries have placed the total at approximately 20 structures.These figures reflect differences in what was counted, rather than necessarily conflicting accounts.Some houses were torn from their foundations and carried downstream.One particularly remarkable historical photograph and caption describe a house swept away from Hermosa Street and lodged among cottonwood trees in Town Park.Another local account tells of Judge E. K. Caldwell's home being displaced from its original property and deposited in the park.Homes that had stood firmly on dry ground were suddenly scattered across the landscape by a river that had escaped its banks.After the waters receded, Hermosa Street was reportedly a sea of mud.For many families, the disaster meant the loss of their homes, furnishings, possessions, and financial security.BRIDGES, WATER, ELECTRICITY, AND TRANSPORTATIONThe destruction extended far beyond residential property.Contemporary accounts reported that nearly every bridge in Archuleta County was lost. A later local historical article identifies the Chrome Bridge across the Navajo River as an exception.The downtown San Juan Street bridge was destroyed.That bridge was particularly important because it also carried a pipeline supplying water to town residents.With the bridge destroyed, the municipal water supply was severely disrupted.The community's electric plant was also destroyed.Historical accounts indicate that the town's waterworks, power plant, and other public facilities suffered devastating damage. A regional historical account additionally identifies the hospital and jail among the losses.Railroad tracks were washed away, stopping normal train operations and interrupting mail service and deliveries.Federal records describe approximately seven miles of Denver and Rio Grande railroad track destroyed between Navajo and Arboles, with around 17 additional miles requiring repairs.Entire communities found themselves cut off from transportation, supplies, and communication.HOW PEOPLE CROSSED THE DESTROYED RIVERFollowing the loss of the downtown bridge, townspeople devised a temporary solution.A cable was stretched across the San Juan River, allowing people and essential supplies to be moved from one bank to the other.Food could be transported to stranded residents.The improvised crossing became a lifeline when the community's ordinary routes were unusable.With the waterworks damaged and transportation severely restricted, the people of Pagosa Springs faced problems extending well beyond the initial flood.TWO LIVES LOST ON MILL CREEKThe Great Flood of 1911 claimed two documented lives in Archuleta County.Their names were Jake Dowell and B. F. Turner.Their deaths occurred along Mill Creek, historically known as El Frio Creek.According to local historical accounts, flood debris collected across the creek above the Dowell property, forming a dangerous obstruction.As the water rose, the growing mass of driftwood threatened nearby structures.Dowell and Turner were among those attempting to clear the obstruction.A portion of the accumulated debris suddenly broke away, plunging the men into the rushing water.Neither survived.Another man, John Dowell, reportedly escaped by riding a section of debris to safety.The family was connected to the historic Mill Creek Ranch, a property associated with some of Pagosa Country's earliest settlers.Later histories describe John Dowell as Pagosa Springs' first mayor.These deaths remain an especially tragic part of the flood's history, illustrating how quickly attempts to protect homes and property can turn fatal.DESTRUCTION THROUGHOUT ARCHULETA COUNTYThe disaster did not stop at the town boundaries.Edith:Severe flood damage affected the community and interrupted operations at a sawmill.Pagosa Junction, or Gato: Floodwater submerged portions of the railroad settlement. An authentic photograph survives showing wooden buildings and a bell tower surrounded by water.The Dyke area west of Pagosa Springs: Farmers and ranchers lost hay, grain, crops, and other agricultural property.The Blanco region: Flooding destroyed crops and damaged agricultural lands.The upper San Juan and East Fork valleys: Floodwater severely damaged roads and other infrastructure connecting remote mountain settlements.The Pagosa Springs SUN even reported the loss of a sheep camp and its wool.Dr. Nossaman's residence, reportedly about a mile upstream from town, was another documented total loss.The destruction affected virtually every aspect of the county's economy: farming, ranching, logging, transportation, business, and daily life.A RARELY TOLD STORY: THE 27 PACKHORSESOne of the more obscure accounts survives in historical research compiled through Fort Lewis College and the San Juan National Forest.The flood of 1911 washed out the road leading into the East Fork of the San Juan River valley.Afterward, the Warr family's winter supplies reportedly had to be transported to their cabin using 27 packhorses.The damage was so severe that travel remained extraordinarily difficult.A historical study links these transportation problems to the decline of activity around the Black Diamond Mine, which closed in the summer of 1912.Some former roads and structures disappeared completely.The flood did not merely destroy buildings. It altered access to entire sections of the mountains.THE FLOOD MOVES DOWNSTREAMThe floodwater continued toward Arboles, approximately 35 miles downstream.Federal hydrological records indicate that the flood reached its peak near Arboles around 5 p.m. on October 5, roughly five hours after the Pagosa Springs crest.This suggests that the flood crest traveled downstream at approximately seven miles per hour.The water reached the railroad station area, although the higher elevation portion of Arboles escaped the most severe inundation.The San Juan River continued to gather enormous volumes of water as it moved into New Mexico and eventually Utah.Across the Four Corners, communities experienced washed out roads, destroyed bridges, damaged railroads, flooded farms, and widespread losses.The disaster was a regional catastrophe, not merely an isolated Pagosa Springs flood.THE COST OF THE DISASTERThe Pagosa Springs SUN reported an estimated $1 million in property losses associated with the Archuleta County disaster.That represented an extraordinary economic blow in 1911, equivalent to tens of millions of dollars in modern purchasing power.Behind the numbers were families whose livelihoods depended on the possessions, crops, livestock, homes, and businesses that floodwater had swept away.The consequences continued long after the river returned to its banks.AN UNUSUAL STORY FROM TOWN PARKOne account, preserved decades later by local historian John M. Motter, tells the story of Judge E. K. Caldwell's displaced house.Floodwater reportedly lifted the home from its foundation and deposited it near the center of Town Park.Years passed without the building being returned to its original location.Eventually, town officials approached Caldwell about moving the house.His response became part of local folklore.As the story goes, Caldwell questioned why he should move a house that God had placed there.Whether every detail of the exchange was remembered precisely is impossible to establish, but the anecdote reflects the extraordinary circumstances residents faced after the flood.HOW PAGOSA SPRINGS REBUILTThe people of Pagosa Springs began rebuilding almost immediately.Temporary means of crossing the river were established.By the end of October 1911, a bridge across McCabe Creek had been restored, and a temporary crossing had been provided near the eastern end of town, in the vicinity of the present Highway 160 bridge.Work began on a new municipal waterworks near First Street, where the Pagosa Springs History Museum stands today.A temporary flume was constructed to help restore water service.Local historical accounts report that a 32 mill tax levy was assessed to finance the replacement of damaged public property, including the waterworks.Within several months, much of the town had resumed ordinary activity.The rebuilding was neither effortless nor without lasting consequences, but Pagosa Springs survived.WHAT MAKES 1911 SO IMPORTANT TODAY?The Great Flood of 1911 has remained a central reference point in the recorded history of the San Juan River.Its documented stage of 17.8 feet and estimated discharge of 25,000 cubic feet per second are preserved in federal records.A later Archuleta County hazard mitigation assessment characterized it as potentially comparable to a 500 year flood, meaning an event estimated to have approximately a 0.2 percent chance of occurring in any given year under the assumptions of that assessment.That designation is an estimate of probability, not a guarantee that floods of similar size occur only once every 500 years.Historic measurements also contain uncertainty because instrumentation in 1911 was limited and some original equipment was destroyed.What cannot be disputed is the extraordinary magnitude of the event and the destruction it left behind.Today, as Pagosa Springs and Archuleta County confront the consequences of another devastating flood, the history of 1911 offers a powerful reminder.The places we call home have faced the forces of these mountains and rivers before.The people who lived here 115 years ago watched roads disappear, homes float away, bridges collapse, and familiar neighborhoods become unrecognizable.Then they faced the enormous work of rebuilding.The San Juan River has always been part of Pagosa Springs' identity. It provides beauty, history, and life to this valley.But its history also demands respect.The Great Flood of 1911 is not merely a story about rising water. It is a story about the people, families, places, and lives behind the historical record and about a mountain community forced to rebuild after the unimaginable.Historical research compiled from U.S. Geological Survey records, the Pagosa Springs History Museum, The Pagosa Springs SUN, Fort Lewis College's Center of Southwest Studies, and regional flood histories.There are a few historical discrepancies worth preserving rather than silently correcting. A 2017 retrospective mistakenly calls it the October 11 flood, while federal river records identify October 5 as the crest date. Reports also differ on the number of buildings destroyed and whether every county bridge was lost. Additionally, a frequently repeated 1911 observation of more than eight inches of rain at Gladstone was questioned by later researchers. These are reasons to distinguish contemporary accounts from reconstructed measurements.ADDITIONAL HISTORICAL DISCOVERIES, RARE DETAILS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND DISCREPANCIES — THE PAGOSA SPRINGS FLOOD OF 1911Further examination of original newspaper accounts, government flood records, local historical archives, and modern scientific research reveals additional information about the devastating October 1911 flood.THE HURRICANE CONNECTIONOne of the most fascinating discoveries is that the 1911 disaster was not simply an isolated mountain rainstorm.Colorado State Climatologist Russ Schumacher identified the October 1911 flooding as associated with moisture from the historic Sonora hurricane, a powerful eastern Pacific tropical cyclone.The storm's moisture traveled northward into the American Southwest and helped produce extraordinary rainfall over the mountains.This explains an often overlooked feature of the disaster: the most catastrophic recorded San Juan River flood occurred in autumn, rather than during the traditional spring snowmelt season.THE CONTROVERSIAL RAINFALL RECORDOriginal government weather records list an extraordinary 8.05 inches of precipitation at Gladstone, near Silverton, on October 5, 1911.For decades, this observation was cited as evidence of the storm's remarkable intensity.However, subsequent scientific investigations questioned its accuracy.Researchers examining flood evidence near Gladstone concluded that the terrain and flood deposits were inconsistent with such an enormous amount of rain falling within a single day.Colorado's state climatologist has since explained that the 8.05 inch observation is generally considered unreliable.Other historical readings support the storm's exceptional intensity, including approximately 4.05 inches at Silverton and 3.67 inches at Pagosa Springs.Therefore, the disputed Gladstone observation should not be presented as an unquestionable fact.WHY THE HISTORICAL DAMAGE FIGURES DIFFERThe surviving records do not agree perfectly about the number of buildings destroyed.The October 6, 1911, Pagosa Springs SUN, as summarized by the Pagosa Springs History Museum, reported approximately 10 to 15 residences destroyed in The Park and Hermosa Street neighborhoods, with another 40 to 50 extensively damaged.A subsequent United States Geological Survey report documented 18 residences and other buildings destroyed or carried away.More recent hydrological research describes approximately 20 structures destroyed.The discrepancy likely reflects differences in what was counted, the geographic boundaries considered, and whether outbuildings and commercial properties were included.All three figures deserve acknowledgment.DID EVERY BRIDGE IN ARCHULETA COUNTY DISAPPEAR?Contemporary reporting declared that all county bridges were out.However, historian John M. Motter later identified an important exception: the Chrome Bridge crossing the Navajo River.The most historically careful description is that nearly every important bridge in Archuleta County was destroyed or rendered unusable, with at least one documented exception.THE FLOOD MEASUREMENTS WERE RECONSTRUCTEDThe famous estimate of 25,000 cubic feet of water per second was not obtained through a surviving instrument recording the river's exact maximum discharge.The 1911 flood destroyed the river gauging installation.In 1939, investigators reconstructed the peak flow using remaining high water evidence and the river channel's dimensions.Therefore, 25,000 cubic feet per second is a scientifically reconstructed estimate, not a directly recorded measurement from October 5, 1911.Likewise, the designation of the disaster as a possible 500 year flood comes from later hazard assessments. Such a designation describes estimated annual probability, not a predictable 500 year cycle.A FLOOD THAT HELPED CHANGE MOUNTAIN TRANSPORTATIONThe flood also played an important role in the history of Elwood Pass and the eventual development of the Wolf Creek Pass highway route.Before the disaster, travel through the East Fork valley and across Elwood Pass provided an important connection between Pagosa Country and communities farther east.The 1911 flood caused catastrophic damage to this route.Historical accounts explain that planners subsequently investigated alternatives for a more dependable road connection.By 1914, state engineer J. E. Maloney was examining the Wolf Creek route and recommended its selection.The 1911 flood was not the sole reason for the later highway development, but destruction of the older East Fork road contributed to the transportation problems that encouraged consideration of a different route.THE RIVER ITSELF WAS CHANGEDAnother little known local historical account describes how entire trees and driftwood became trapped against large boulders in the San Juan River during the 1911 flood.These obstructions reportedly caused water to back up and spread into surrounding neighborhoods.In the years afterward, local men removed some of the obstructing boulders from the river.This account suggests that flood recovery included not only rebuilding damaged property but physically changing portions of the river channel to reduce future obstructions.A REMARKABLE CABIN THAT SURVIVED TWO CENTURIES OF FLOOD HISTORYA particularly unusual local account published in 2026 connects the 1911 flood with the flooding of October 2025.According to Pagosa Outside, a small cabin was carried downstream during the 1911 disaster and eventually ended up on Hermosa Street.The building reportedly remained there for many years before being relocated to property approximately two miles upstream from town.More than a century after its first recorded journey, the cabin was reportedly swept away again during the October 2025 flooding.This time, it traveled approximately half a mile downstream before coming to rest near a pond.It was subsequently recovered and relocated to higher ground.This extraordinary account is a modern local recollection rather than a fully documented chain of ownership dating back to 1911, but it provides a fascinating possibility that one surviving structure experienced two historic San Juan River floods, 114 years apart.HISTORICAL NEWSPAPER AND PHOTOGRAPH DISCOVERIESSeveral less commonly circulated historical photographs have been preserved in local newspaper archives.These include:1. The Park neighborhood submerged beneath floodwater. A photograph credited to historian John M. Motter, published in the December 29, 2016, Pagosa Springs SUN, page 20.Free newspaper archive:https://cdn2.creativecirclemedia.com/.../20231129-194108...2. Hermosa Street covered in mud after the disaster. Published in the January 12, 2017, Pagosa Springs SUN, page 6, with a historical photograph credited to John M. Motter.Free newspaper archive:https://cdn2.creativecirclemedia.com/.../20231129-184616...3. The damaged San Juan Street bridge. A historical photograph published September 8, 2016, showing the bridge following the catastrophic flood, page 13.Free newspaper archive:https://cdn2.creativecirclemedia.com/.../20231129-193607...4. A former downtown bridge, possibly photographed after the 1911 flood. Historian John M. Motter specifically described the date of this photograph as probable rather than certain. Published August 22, 2019, page 17.Free newspaper archive:https://cdn2.creativecirclemedia.com/.../20231129-180839...5. A house carried from Hermosa Street into Town Park. A historical photograph preserved in a regional history article documents a building reportedly carried by floodwater and lodged among cottonwood trees.Direct photograph:https://pagosa.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/ava-3.jpgOriginal historical discussion:https://pagosa.com/natural-disasters-in-san-juan-history.../6. Two additional photographs recorded in the Fort Lewis College archives.The Center of Southwest Studies maintains historical photograph inventory entries identified as:"Pagosa Springs (Colo.) after the flood," 1911 — archival identification II-32-32."Flood water (Pagosa Springs, Colo.)," October 1911 — archival identification II-32-34.These are cataloged historical photographs, but publicly downloadable copies have not been confirmed.Archive inventory:https://swcenter.fortlewis.edu/.../inventory/ImagesBrief.pdfThe newspaper PDF files are substantial downloads, and individual phone browsers may have difficulty opening them. Their indexed contents identify the cited photographs, but direct standalone image downloads were not available for all of them.WHY DOCUMENTING THESE DIFFERENCES MATTERSHistorical research is not simply the repetition of stories passed down through generations.It requires distinguishing eyewitness accounts from later recollections, direct measurements from scientific estimates, and verified photographs from images whose dates or locations remain uncertain.The October 5, 1911, crest is firmly supported by federal river records, even though some later historical materials describe October 4 as the flood date because the storm began then.Some contemporary reporting was published on October 6, after the destruction had occurred.These distinctions do not diminish the catastrophe. They help preserve its history accurately.What remains beyond dispute is that the Great Flood of 1911 devastated Pagosa Springs, altered the physical landscape, disrupted transportation and infrastructure, and left a legacy still relevant more than a century later.Additional historical sources:Colorado Climate Center — The October 1911 hurricane and disputed rainfall observations:https://climate.colostate.edu/.../more-on-the-october.../U.S. Geological Survey — Floods in Colorado:https://pubs.usgs.gov/wsp/0997/report.pdfPagosa Springs History Museum — Flood of 1911:https://pagosamuseum.org/flood-of-1911/Elwood Pass transportation history:https://pagosa.com/the-history-of-elwood-more-than-know/Pagosa Outside — The cabin reportedly carried away in both 1911 and 2025:https://pagosaoutside.com/.../pagosa-springs-san-juan...Pagosa.com — Historical changes to the San Juan River:https://pagosa.com/the-rejuvenation-of-pagosa-springs/
[Please access the "posted" link to access the hot links in the comment.]
 |
| 1 |
 |
| 2 |
 |
| 3 |
 |
| 4 |
 |
| 5 |
Downstream of Pagosa Springs:
 |
| Facebook Reel |
On the upstream side of Pagosa Springs.
 |
| Riff Raff Brewing Company posted Riff Raff will be closed Friday [Oct 23]. Currently the East end does not have power due to a down power line. We will update when we are able to open. |
"Five minutes" upstream from Pagosa Springs.
 |
| Facebook Reel |
The San Juan River is part of the Colorado River watershed north of Lake Powell. But this water probably won't make it to the Colorado River because the Navajo Dam catches it for irrigation.
 |
| WakeSurf Cali posted GREAT NEWS FOR LAKE POWELL!!! Huge inflows from Navajo Lake that leads to Lake Powell. From the marina staff: Temporary Marina closures at Navajo Lake Marina & Sims Marina. Due to water levels rising at unprecedented rates the marinas are unable to maintain walkway access to the facilities. The lake climbed nearly 10 feet in a 24-hour period and the inflows are just now cresting. Staff hopes to have access restored Saturday, October 24th but it is a fluid situation. Dave Archuleta: two day no three, and it has fill gone up over 10 feet in the last few weeks and 10 ft just yesterday [Oct 23, 2026] in a 24 hr period. The lake was below 50% after the nonexistent spring runoff. I just looked its at 56% now |
 |
| Facebook Reel |
CR 337 is along the Blanco Rio. The brown building on the left side of this view behind the camper is the building in the above reel. I hope everyone got out of the RV Park before the flood came.
 |
| Street View, Jun 2025 |
This may be another view of the flooding along CR 337.
 |
| Facebook Reel |
Now I'm confused, Farmington and Bloomfield are just downstream of the Navajo Dam. I thought the dam caught the flood waters.
 |
| Facebook Reel |
This is evidently Farmington or Bloomfield. The report says that they had to rescue people from rooftops and that the river has yet to crest.
Sewage has entered the river so the water is hazardous. Evidently, the drinking water supply is well water because it is still safe to drink. [post and another post said the wastewater treatment plant has been breached.]
 |
| KOB (source) |
 |
| abqjournal (source) "An aerial photo taken on Friday shows extensive flooding along the San Juan River near Farmington following heavy rain on Thursday. The nearby Animas River has also flooded in some areas, contributing to an emergency that prompted home evacuations and rescues across northwestern New Mexico. Source: San Juan County Sheriff's Office" |
I think the red areas indicate mandatory evacuation.
 |
| PerimeterMap |
The Navajo Dam did catch some of the water. But the Animas River joins the San Juan River in Farminton.
 |
| KOAT posted The San Juan River is expected to reach a record level of 14.5 feet near Farmington. https://www.koat.com/article/san-juan-river-levels-flood-new-mexico/74234979 |
 |
| Facebook Reel |
Actually, it is the Los Pinos River downstream of the Vallecito Dam; upstream of the reservoir it is called Vallecito Creek. But I still could not find this bridge.
 |
| Facebook Reel |
This is an earlier video that show the bank started at the bridge abutment. Also, notice the water flowing behind the bank. Is it going down a road?
 |
| Facebook Reel |
Oct 26: I've now seen seveeral reels similar to the above. But this is the only one that gave me a decent clue as to where the bridge is.
 |
| Facebook Reel |
 |
| Facebook Reel |
The water in the background of the reels is going over a floodplain.
 |
| Satellite |
Some of the water did make it to Lake Powell, but it is just a drop in the bucket.
 |
| Chase Thomason posted Lake Powell has risen nearly 3 FEET in just TWO DAYS! That’s an incredible response to one October storm. 👀 All that rain across Utah is making a difference, with runoff from the watershed helping push the lake level higher. But here’s the reality: Lake Powell is still about 176 feet below full pool and needs roughly 18 million more acre-feet of water to fill. This recent rise is encouraging, but we’re still a long way from recovery. Years of drought and below-average inflows have left a significant deficit, and one storm can’t make up for that. The big factor now will be this winter’s snowpack and how much water makes it into the Colorado River during spring runoff. We need sustained, above-average inflows to make a meaningful dent in the deficit. Every bit helps, but we still have a long way to go. 💧 Mark Burin: Everyone forgets the lake is lake a giant funnel. The very bottom is easy to fill up the last 30 feet hold over a 1.5 trillion gallons 20% of the lake capacity and its 540 feet deep. Mike Pfirrman: And people eating beef and dairy will just drain it all again. 70% of the water in the Colorado River Basin goes toward agriculture, with nearly 90% of that or more being toward growing alfalfa for cattle feed, either for slaughter or dairy. Until that is ended and farmers/ranchers transition to other crops - there are rotational crops that use half as much water, but the infrastructure needs money. Perhaps if Trump didn't start a war and do tariffs again, farmers could have gotten the help they needed to switch crops instead of having to give them welfare checks. Again. |
I think the minimum level is when they can't run the hydroplant.
 |
| David Clawson commented on Chase's post I put together this little chart that shows the level for the past ~25 years that might help with some context. |
 |
| San Juan County Sheriff's Office, NM posted ❗️DO NOT FLY DRONES NEAR FLOODED AREAS. ❗️ . Drones being flown are hindering emergency response in areas that need it most. Keep drones grounded in San Juan County so our helicopter teams can respond quickly. |
 |
| San Juan County Sheriff's Office, NM commented on their post This is the official no fly zone. |
 |
| La Plata County Sheriff's Office posted With the ongoing weather conditions expecting to last through Sunday- Please be mindful of Closures! Sheriff's Deputies are also assisting with rescues in Archuleta County. We are monitoring water levels in multiple locations, here in our own jurisdiction. KC Lights: Punishable by $100 dollar fine. For anyone curious. [There were some comments about a nanny government. From what I saw, they did not close the river until a kayak would not fit under some bridges.] |
The yellow kayak has been rolling in the churn for a while. The blue kayak demonstrates how to get across the "hole" in the water without flipping over.
 |
| Facebook Reel |
He makes it straight through, but he had to paddle hard. Earlier in the reel he was paddling sideways to aim for this spot. That is, he avoided the wall of water in the middle of this view.
 |
| Facebook Reel |
And Facebook offered another kayak video. This guy got caught and did not make it through with his kayak. At the end it shows him floating downstream.
 |
| Facebook Reel |
A RV camp is a popular way to use a floodplain, but that works only if the camp gets cleared out before the flood. This rainstorm probably came up from the Pacific Ocean near Mexico, so why couldn't they predict this flood in time for an evacuation of the RVs? Note that, even though this town is fairly close to Pagosa Springs, it is on the Rio Grande and this water is headed towards the Gulf of Mexico. Although some comments indicate that the water won't make it that far.
 |
| South Fork Fire Rescue posted Morning Flood Update South Fork, Colorado Friday, October 23, 2026 The National Weather Service has confirmed that the South Fork of the Rio Grande has crested. A FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT. MANDATORY EVACUATIONS REMAIN IN EFFECT Evacuations remain in place for the following areas: - South Fork of the Rio Grande: From the Wolf Creek Tunnel to Fun Valley and from County Road 20 to the confluence with the Rio Grande River. - Rio Grande River: From the confluence at the River Green subdivision to the Shaw Creek Rest Area. Do not return home until the mandatory evacuation orders have been lifted. Although the river has crested, dangerous conditions remain. Floodwaters may still be present, roads may be damaged, riverbanks may be unstable, and other hazards may exist. CURRENT ROAD CLOSURES: - Highway 160 over Wolf Creek Pass. - Rio Grande County Road 18 Bridge to County Road 15. Do not drive around barricades or attempt to cross flooded roadways. EVACUEE INFORMATION: Evacuees can go to the South Fork Community Building STAY INFORMED: Please continue monitoring official updates. Updates will be published as the information is available. Photo: Fun Valley 10/23/26 3:01 am |
Unfortunately, you don't have the option of moving cabins.
Oct 26, 2026: Tiny Life Consulting, LLC posted three photos with the comment:
Living by a placid stream in the mountains can be beautiful and serene. But danger lurks with that once in a hundred years rain event that turns that quiet river into a raging torrent. Your dreams can be washed away in an instant.
Fun Valley Family Resort located on the headwaters of the South Fork of the Rio Grande river suffered that fate. Their row of tiny house like cabins were damaged severely.
 |
| 1 |
 |
| 2 |
 |
| 3 |
I accessed this image on Oct 28, and the highway is still closed.
 |
| Satellite |
This video says the remnants of Hurricane Trudy were slow moving. So why, in this and age of satellite images, couldn't they give RV owners a timely evacuation order? The video reports that 6" were dumped in the San Juan Mountains. Or did that many people ignore the warnings?
 |
| Facebook Reel |
 |
| Yard Limit Productions Railroad Photography posted via Dennis DeBruler Animas River Bridge in Durango. Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad shared [They closed the river to kayaking because they would not be able to fit under this, and some other, bridges. Also, there is a lot of debris in the river. See Animas River Bridge for some videos of the flood water under the bridge.] |
This is another view of the Animas River flooding in Durango.
 |
| White Rabbit Books & Curiosities posted via Dennis DeBruler We’ve been closed for the past couple of days, waiting for this storm to wear itself out, and will remain closed likely through Sunday, as we get everything resituated and put the shop back to rights. The Animas River is reminding us just how feisty she can be, leaping past 10,000 CFS, up from the sad little trickle she was just a couple weeks ago- the majority of that in the last two days. She’s made her way up onto the trail by the next building north of us, and is lapping at the concrete near us, too, but so far, so good for the bookshop.Oh, the humbling power of fast-moving water! It’s a great reminder that Mother Nature is very much calling the shots, and we’re all just along for the ride. A million thanks to the three fine gents who helped me batten down the hatches and who have been keeping watch over the place while (being the commuter that I am,) I can only keep an eye on things from afar. You guys are the best. So, hooray for some much-needed moisture, a deep bow to the mighty Animas, and a gentle reminder that impermanence is the way of things. Sometimes the best we can do is prepare, let go, and ride out the storm. We’ll be back before long, with books to browse, curiosities to discover, and plenty of stories waiting to be found. Until then, stay safe, stay dry, and stay in utter awe of it all, friends. We'll be back soon! |
Oct 24, 2026:
 |
| Town of Pagosa Springs posted FLOOD UPDATE | October 24, 2026 The Town of Pagosa Springs has two important updates regarding evacuation orders and roadway access following this week’s flooding. Evacuation Order Lifted: The mandatory evacuation order for Hermosa and San Juan streets has been lifted. These areas have returned to pre-evacuation status as a precaution. Residents should remain alert and prepared should conditions change. US 160 Reopened: CDOT has confirmed that US Highway 160 is open between Pagosa Springs and Durango. Alternating one-way traffic is in place along the damaged section of highway in Aspen Springs. Please use caution, expect delays and follow traffic control instructions. While conditions are improving, public safety remains our priority. The Town will continue monitoring conditions and providing updates as needed. Thank you for your patience and cooperation as our community continues flood recovery efforts. |
Oct 25, 2026:
 |
| Rick Holter posted What a difference a day makes. There's still a lot of damage to roads, infrastructure, homes & businesses, and the National Guard's in town to help. But downtown, at least, the river's back within its banks (tho still raging). Businesses are open. Folks are soaking at the Springs. Now if Ma Nature can just chill for a bit... |
Oct 27, 2026:
 |
| Colorado High Country Happenings posted Here's what it looks like today, October 27, 2026. The water has receeded and the parking lot has been mostly mucked out. But on the lower right of the image you can a channel that the water cut and may have undercut the foundation. Hard to say. The building is up on stilts. In any case the employees (my wife included) are packing up everything inside to be moved to another location until it's repaired. |
The above photo is of the side of the visitor center.
 |
| Street View, Nov 2018 |
