San Juan River peaks at 16 feet, missing 22-foot forecast

The San Juan River reached a peak of 16 feet by 6 a.m. Monday, a level that signals major flooding but remains below the 22-foot mark officials feared would match the historic 1911 disaster. That 1911 event wiped away much of what was then the town of Pagosa Springs.

The river rose rapidly on Sunday, moving from 6.5 feet in the morning to 16.81 feet by 8 p.m. before beginning to recede. This peak stands nearly two feet higher than the approximately 15-foot high water recorded the previous week.

National Weather Service officials warned that rain would continue through Monday, making travel nearly impossible due to widespread flooding and washed-out roads. The agency also flagged a high risk for landslides, rockfalls, and debris flows. Heavy snow, ranging from 8 to 14 inches, is expected above 10,000 feet in the eastern San Juan mountains through Monday.

In Rio Grande County, the South Fork of the Rio Grande peaked at 8.8 feet at 9:30 p.m. Sunday. As of 7:15 a.m. Monday, the water level stood at 8.2 feet. South Fork Fire Rescue reported no injuries or missing persons in the county as of Monday. The Mancos, Dolores, La Plata, Animas, and Navajo rivers also flooded.

Sheriff Garth Crowther of Conejos County urged residents to keep sandbags in place despite clear skies. He noted that during the previous flood, water took 24 hours to reach Manassa after cresting in Conejos Canyon. "The water hasn't reached us yet," Crowther said, warning that morning conditions could be deceiving.

In La Plata County, Junction Creek overflowed its banks, filling the parking lot and ground floor of The Junction Hotel and Hostel. Water also reached backyards and homes along Alamo Drive. The Animas River stood at 8.5 feet Monday morning, up from 4.1 feet the day prior. The city closed roads as floodwaters damaged streets and bridges.

At the La Plata County Fairgrounds evacuation center, about 60 people were housed by 6:30 p.m. Sunday. Alyson Shaff, an American Red Cross volunteer, said evacuees arrived with wet feet after walking through waist-deep water. Volunteers set out additional cots by 9:30 p.m. as more evacuation orders were issued for mobile home parks and neighborhoods.

Residents Leonard and Beverly Hofmann of Alamo Drive chose to stay in their home despite the evacuation order. Beverly Hofmann, 70, said this would be the fifth flood on the street and that the water had not yet reached their house. "It doesn't scare me to live here," she said.