Story perspectives

Flooding Spurs Emergency Disaster Declarations for 11 Counties

By Drooid · Oct 24, 2026, 2:50 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Polis Declares Emergency

Governor Jared Polis declared a disaster emergency for 11 Southwest Colorado counties on Thursday night.
Colorado National Guard rescued two people and three dogs from a flooded RV by helicopter Friday.
San Juan River crested at 15.02 feet Friday, prompting mandatory evacuations for low-lying areas along four rivers.
Red Cross opened an evacuation center at the Pagosa Lakes Property Owners Association clubhouse.

Summary

Mayor Mohler Urges Conservation

Raw sewage entered the San Juan River after Bloomfield’s wastewater plant shut down, prompting a hazmat alert.
Mayor John Mohler urged residents to curb laundry, showers, and toilet flushing to reduce wastewater.
The plant’s six-foot flood buffer closed valves to Farmington Lake, now 89.14% full.
Schools across San Juan County, including Farmington Municipal Schools and San Juan College, suspended classes on Friday.
Undersheriff Cory Tanner issued warnings after civilian-flown drones impeded emergency aircraft.

History

Historical Context

Federal flood policy traces back to the Mississippi River Commission’s 1879 mandate to raise levees, a lesson echoed after the 1993 Great Flood that killed 50 people and caused $12-16 billion in damage. Today, Governor Jared Polis’s emergency response to the San Juan River surge draws on that same coordinated federal-state framework first tested in the 1993 disaster.

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Polis Declares Emergency

Governor Jared Polis declared a disaster emergency for 11 Southwest Colorado counties on Thursday night.
Colorado National Guard rescued two people and three dogs from a flooded RV by helicopter Friday.
San Juan River crested at 15.02 feet Friday, prompting mandatory evacuations for low-lying areas along four rivers.
Red Cross opened an evacuation center at the Pagosa Lakes Property Owners Association clubhouse.

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