Pagosa Springs issued an evacuation warning Thursday for low-lying areas along the San Juan River as rising water and flood risk threatened people and property. The Archuleta County Sheriff’s office said at 2 p.m. that the evacuation order was mandatory.
The warning was not limited to one stretch of water. Active evacuation zones also include the Rio Blanco River, Navajo River and Piedra River, and the town posted a public safety notice for residents and visitors in low-lying areas.
Officials also moved to close access points across town. Hike and bike trails along the San Juan River, Town Park, Mary Fisher Park, Centennial Park, River Center Park and Cotton Hole Park were shut, along with boat ramps at San Juan River Park and Yamaguchi Park.
That caution carried a sharp edge: the town and Archuleta County asked people to stay out of the San Juan River even as they warned that high water and swift-moving conditions could endanger recreational users and emergency responders. Officials said the conditions could lead to localized flooding, submerged riverbanks and unsafe swift-water conditions.
The warning follows the kind of fast-changing water event that turns a familiar river corridor into a hazard zone in a matter of hours. Residents have been urged to sign up for emergency notifications through the Town of Pagosa Springs and Archuleta County for updates on weather, possible evacuations, road closures and other public safety concerns.
What remains unresolved is how long the warning will stay in place. For now, the only clear instruction is to keep away from the river, stay off the closed parks and trails, and wait for the next alert before assuming the danger has passed.
