Southwest Colorado flooding leaves residents stranded as Gov. Polis declares disaster emergency

Gov. Jared Polis has declared a disaster emergency in 12 counties across southwestern Colorado as severe flooding washed out roads, isolated communities, and prompted emergency rescue operations.

The declaration covers counties stretching from the Utah border to Alamosa County. Polis also activated the Colorado National Guard to assist with search and rescue efforts.

In Archuleta County, flooding overturned an RV around 2:30 a.m. Friday. Hours later, a National Guard team aboard a Black Hawk helicopter rescued two people, three dogs and two cats from the vehicle.

Meanwhile, residents in Pagosa Springs say widespread flooding has left them stranded, with major highways closed and access to essential resources severely limited. Roads have washed away, homes are surrounded by floodwaters, and some families are unable to leave their neighborhoods.

"The highways have been shut down. People have been stranded. It's just, it's freaking devastating," Jenny Heckmann. 

Heckmann, who has lived in the area for 12 years, said even her home on a hill was not spared from the flooding. Her family spent six hours digging trenches in the rain to prevent floodwaters from entering their home.

"We're up on a hill, and we still flooded. Our ground is just that saturated," Heckmann said.

Beyond the property damage, Heckmann questioned whether residents received enough advance warning. She said she pulled her children out of school Thursday after noticing water crossing roads in downtown Pagosa Springs.

"We really rely on the National Weather Service," Heckmann said. "If they tell us there's a flood warning, we're at flood stage, or we're going to be for a river, then we take that very seriously."

Heckmann said she believes the warnings came too late for residents to adequately prepare.

"We didn't get warnings until an hour or so before it really was cresting. And I don't think we had enough time," she said.

The flooding has also disrupted travel plans for visitors. Sydney Freeman, who was visiting family in Pagosa Lakes, said road closures prevented her from reaching the airport, forcing her to reschedule her flight.

"I was kind of stranded, couldn't get to the airport either direction," Freeman said. "I have a new flight for tomorrow, and I'm still crossing my fingers."

As residents assess the damage, many are calling on state officials to prioritize reopening highways and restoring access to their communities. They say road closures are making it difficult to transport food, medical supplies, and other necessities into Pagosa Springs.

"We need to be able to travel in and out of Pagosa," said Freeman. "It's very difficult when we're limited. We can't get any resources through unless they come up 84."

For now, residents say they are preparing for a difficult recovery as flood damage and transportation challenges continue to affect the region.