Southwest Colorado flooding, October 2026: what homeowners should do

Heavy rain from October 21 to 23, 2026, pushed rivers in southwest Colorado into major flood, and the San Juan River at Pagosa Springs reached 15.0 feet early Friday, October 23, its highest reading since 1911 in the National Weather Service's crest history. Mandatory evacuations are in place along four rivers in Archuleta County, and the state declared a disaster emergency for 11 counties on the night of October 22. If water reached your home, standard homeowners insurance almost certainly will not pay for it. Flood damage is claimed under a separate flood policy, and federal aid depends on a presidential declaration that had not been made as of Friday afternoon.

Conditions are changing by the hour. This page was first published with what official sources reported as of 7:45 a.m. MDT on October 23, 2026, and was updated with afternoon gauge readings and warnings at about 3 p.m. MDT the same day. We will keep updating it as the water drops and damage reports come in. For evacuation orders, Archuleta County's Nixle alerts are the official source (text 81147 to 888777).

What changed on the afternoon of October 23?

Update added October 23, 2026, about 3 p.m. MDT.

• Pagosa Springs is past its crest but still in major flood. The San Juan River peaked at 15.02 feet at 5:30 a.m. MDT and read 13.00 feet at 2:00 p.m. MDT, still above the 12.6-foot major flood stage. The NWS forecast issued at 1:05 p.m. MDT shows it dropping below the 10.5-foot flood stage at about 10 p.m. MDT Friday, a little later than the morning forecast. (NWPS, San Juan River at Pagosa Springs)
• Del Norte crested just under its record. The Rio Grande near Del Norte reached 6.61 feet at noon MDT, in moderate flood. On the NWS crest list for this gauge, only the October 1911 flood (6.8 feet) is higher. The forecast issued at 1:28 p.m. MDT shows the river falling below its 5.5-foot flood stage on Saturday morning, October 24. (NWPS, Rio Grande near Del Norte)
• South Fork is falling. The South Fork Rio Grande crested at 9.03 feet at 1:45 a.m. MDT and read 8.01 feet at 2:15 p.m. MDT. NWS Pueblo expects it to drop below flood stage late Friday night. Its 2:23 p.m. MDT warning repeated that several structures are flooded, evacuations have occurred from Wolf Creek Ranch to Fun Valley, roads including U.S. 160 and Forest Road 380 remain closed, and the Park Creek bridge has washed away. (NWS Pueblo)
• Flooding spread to Conejos County. NWS Pueblo warnings issued at 1:57 and 2:16 p.m. MDT say emergency management reported flooding along the Conejos River and its tributaries, naming Antonito, Conejos, Manassa, Sanford, Mogote and Platoro, with Colorado 17 closed between Antonito and Cumbres Pass. A preliminary public report to NWS at 10:18 a.m. MDT described water 7 feet high on the side of homes about 9 miles northeast of Cumbres Pass. Conejos County was not one of the 11 counties in the governor's October 22 verbal declaration. (NWS Pueblo)
• More rain is possible. The NWS Grand Junction flood watch for the San Juan River Basin, the Animas River Basin and nearby areas runs through Sunday morning, October 25, with more showers and thunderstorms expected through Saturday afternoon. Its 1:42 p.m. MDT warning for Archuleta County said 0.5 to 1 inch of additional rain was possible from afternoon storms, on top of rivers that were already out of their banks. (NWS Grand Junction)
• Local status. Archuleta County closed some county offices on October 23 because of power outages and lack of access, and asks the public to call before visiting. (Archuleta County) The Town of Pagosa Springs had not posted changes to its emergency or evacuation notices since the morning. La Plata County Sheriff Sean Smith closed the Animas River to all watercraft until further notice because of swift-water conditions, and on October 22 the county issued a pre-evacuation order for the Junction Creek Mobile Home Park and told Vallecito residents to prepare for likely evacuations. (La Plata County)
• Still no federal declaration. OpenFEMA listed no new Colorado declaration at about 3 p.m. MDT; the most recent is still DR-4944 from September 1. The governor's 2026 executive orders page did not yet list a written disaster order for this flooding, and we found no announced request for a federal declaration. (Colorado Governor, 2026 executive orders)

How high did the rivers get?

Provisional gauge data from the NWS National Water Prediction Service shows the San Juan River at Pagosa Springs at 15.02 feet at 5:30 a.m. MDT on October 23, against a flood stage of 10.5 feet and a major flood stage of 12.6 feet. (NWPS, San Juan River at Pagosa Springs) The only higher crest in the NWS history for this gauge is 17.8 feet on October 5, 1911. The next highest is 13.5 feet on June 29, 1927. Both were measured on an older gauge datum, so the comparison is approximate. The October 2025 flood that damaged Pagosa Springs crested at a preliminary 12.82 feet on October 14, 2025.

River gauge	Flood stage	Reading or forecast (Oct. 23, 2026)	Highest crest on record
San Juan River at Pagosa Springs	10.5 ft (major 12.6 ft)	Crest 15.02 ft at 5:30 a.m. MDT; 13.00 ft at 2:00 p.m. MDT, still major flooding	17.8 ft, Oct. 5, 1911 (older datum)
South Fork Rio Grande at South Fork	7.0 ft	Crest 9.03 ft at 1:45 a.m. MDT; 8.01 ft at 2:15 p.m. MDT, falling	9.7 ft, Oct. 15, 1911
Rio Grande near Del Norte	5.5 ft (moderate 6.5 ft)	Crest 6.61 ft at noon MDT, moderate flooding	6.8 ft, Oct. 5, 1911

The NWS forecast issued at 1:05 p.m. MDT Friday showed Pagosa Springs falling below flood stage at about 10 p.m. MDT Friday, and the Del Norte forecast showed that gauge below flood stage on Saturday morning. Gauge readings are provisional and can be revised.

What damage has been reported so far?

These are the impacts the National Weather Service listed in its warnings. They come from emergency managers, law enforcement and the public, and they are not a damage count.

• Archuleta County: "Several structures are flooded, and numerous roads remain closed due to flooding impacts county wide," with Pagosa Springs, Lonetree, Chimney Rock, Juanita, Gato, Pagosa Junction, Chromo and Arboles named. (NWS Grand Junction, warning issued 5:32 a.m. MDT October 23) The San Juan River warning says that at 14.5 feet, water reaches the foundations of some homes in the San Juan River Ranch area northeast of Pagosa Springs.
• Mineral, Rio Grande and Saguache counties: several structures flooded, evacuations from Wolf Creek Ranch to Fun Valley, U.S. 160 closed, and the Park Creek bridge washed away. (NWS Pueblo, warning issued 10:07 p.m. MDT October 22)
• Del Norte: at the forecast crest, NWS says water threatens homes and an RV park near Del Norte Park, and homes near First Street and the Oak Street Bridge on Colorado 112. (NWS Pueblo, 6:50 a.m. MDT October 23)
• La Plata County: numerous roads closed with washouts, and law enforcement reported flooding in a warning area that includes Bayfield, Ignacio, Oxford, Tiffany and Allison. (NWS Grand Junction, 5:56 a.m. MDT October 23)

Who is under evacuation orders and emergency declarations?

The Town of Pagosa Springs reports mandatory evacuations in low-lying and flood-prone areas along the San Juan, Rio Blanco, Navajo and Piedra rivers, and portions of U.S. 160 closed. Mayor Shari Pierce and Town Manager David Harris declared a local disaster emergency on October 22, in effect for seven days unless extended. (Town of Pagosa Springs, October 23, 2026) Evacuees are asked to check in at the Archuleta County Department of Human Services, 550 Hot Springs Blvd., Unit A, even if they are staying with family or friends. (Archuleta County Sheriff)

At 8:36 p.m. on October 22, Gov. Jared Polis verbally declared a disaster emergency for La Plata, Archuleta, Montezuma, Dolores, Hinsdale, San Miguel, Ouray, San Juan, Mineral, Alamosa and Rio Grande counties. The declaration activates the State Emergency Operations Plan and authorizes the Colorado National Guard to support flood and debris flow response, evacuations and search and rescue. (Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management)

Does homeowners insurance cover this flooding?

No, in almost every case. The Colorado Division of Insurance says basic homeowners insurance does not include flood damage and that flood insurance is a separate policy, usually through FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). (Colorado Division of Insurance, flood insurance) Your homeowners policy may still apply to damage that is not flood, so ask your agent or insurer what it covers before you assume a loss is excluded.

If you do not have flood insurance, buying it now will not cover this flood. The Division notes there is typically a 30-day waiting period after you apply and pay the first premium. NFIP policies can now be bought online at FloodSmart.gov, according to the same page. Our guide to the NFIP waiting period explains the exceptions.

How do I file a flood insurance claim?

FEMA's NFIP guidance for policyholders (FloodSmart, start a claim; NFIP claims checklist):

1. Report the claim as soon as possible to your flood insurance provider. You can file before you are allowed back into the house. The provider should assign an adjuster who contacts you within 48 hours.
2. Document before you clean. Take photos and video of the damage and the water line inside and outside, and record the make, model and serial number of appliances. Keep samples of carpet, flooring and curtains for the adjuster.
3. Limit mold. NFIP policies do not cover mold damage, so dry out and remove soaked materials once they are documented. See mold after flooding.
4. Check the adjuster's credentials. Ask for the Flood Control Number card and a government photo ID. You can request an advance partial payment.
5. Send your documentation within 60 days of the flood, or within the timeframe your adjuster gives you. For damage on October 23, 2026, day 60 is December 22, 2026. FEMA says claims typically take 4 to 8 weeks to be paid, and a denial can be appealed to FEMA within 60 days of the denial letter.

The Colorado Division of Insurance does not regulate federal flood insurance, but it posts FEMA's NFIP claim fact sheets for Colorado flooding on its NFIP resources page. Our step-by-step flood insurance claim guide covers the process in more detail.

Will FEMA help homeowners without flood insurance?

Only if the President declares a major disaster that includes Individual Assistance for your county, and that has not happened. FEMA's declarations data showed no declaration for this flooding when we last checked, at about 3 p.m. MDT on October 23. (OpenFEMA, Colorado declarations since 2025) Colorado's most recent major disaster, DR-4944, was declared September 1, 2026, for wildfires, flooding and mudslides between June 27 and July 29 in Custer, Dolores, Ouray and Pueblo counties. It includes Public Assistance only, with no Individual Assistance for households.

Even with a declaration, FEMA aid is not a substitute for insurance. FloodSmart says you can apply for disaster assistance in addition to a flood claim, which may help with costs the policy does not cover, such as temporary housing. The differences are laid out in FEMA assistance vs. flood insurance.

What should affected homeowners do today?

1. Follow evacuation orders and stay off flooded roads. NWS says most flood deaths occur in vehicles. (NWS flood safety) Do not go back in until officials say it is safe.
2. Check in as an evacuee at 550 Hot Springs Blvd., Unit A, Pagosa Springs, so responders can account for you and you can ask for help with medication, transport or animals.
3. Find your policies. Locate your flood policy number if you have one, and your homeowners policy for non-flood losses and living expenses.
4. Start a damage log with dates, photos and the names of everyone you talk to at your insurer.
5. Keep receipts and invoices for cleanup and repairs. The NFIP claims checklist asks for them as supporting documentation.

For the longer-term picture, see flood risk for homes in Colorado.

Quick answers

Is the October 2026 Pagosa Springs flood a record?

Not quite, by NWS's list. The San Juan River at Pagosa Springs read 15.02 feet at 5:30 a.m. MDT on October 23, 2026, the highest in its crest history since 17.8 feet in October 1911. It is above the 13.5-foot crest of 1927 and the preliminary 12.82 feet of October 2025, though the older crests were measured on a different datum.

Does homeowners insurance cover flood damage in Colorado?

No. The Colorado Division of Insurance says basic homeowners insurance does not include flood protection. Flood damage is covered only by a separate flood policy, such as one from the NFIP.

Can I buy flood insurance now to cover this flood?

No. NFIP coverage typically starts after a 30-day waiting period, so a policy bought during or after a flood will not pay for it. It can protect you from the next one.

Is FEMA aid available for the southwest Colorado floods?

Not as of the afternoon of October 23, 2026. The state has declared a disaster emergency for 11 counties, but FEMA individual aid requires a presidential major disaster declaration that includes Individual Assistance.

Sources

• NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauges, provisional data retrieved October 23, 2026: San Juan River at Pagosa Springs (PSPC2), South Fork Rio Grande at South Fork (SRGC2), Rio Grande near Del Norte (DNRC2)
• National Weather Service Grand Junction and National Weather Service Pueblo flood warnings, October 22 and 23, 2026
• Town of Pagosa Springs, local disaster emergency, October 23, 2026; Evacuation warning notice, October 22, 2026
• Archuleta County Sheriff, evacuation information; Archuleta County news, October 23, 2026
• La Plata County news, October 22 and 23, 2026
• Colorado Governor, 2026 executive orders (checked October 23, 2026)
• Colorado DHSEM, Governor Polis verbal disaster emergency declaration, October 22, 2026
• Colorado Division of Insurance, flood insurance; NFIP resources for Colorado flooding
• FEMA NFIP: How to start a flood insurance claim; NFIP claims checklist for policyholders
• OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, Colorado (queried October 23, 2026)
• National Weather Service, flood safety