Flood — Dolores, Colorado

2023-04-12 to 2023-04-15 · near Dove Creek Arpt, Dolores, Colorado

Event narrative

Rapid snowmelt resulted in flooding across Road 9.7 in Dolores County, as the Dolores River overran its banks. The road was closed for a prolonged period as flood waters did not recede for several days. The accelerated snowmelt and subsequent pooling of water flooded the local high school, which damaged the gym flooring.

Wider weather episode

Above normal temperatures accelerated snowmelt from a near-record snowpack. This resulted in high and fast flows on several rivers and drainages across Western Colorado. The increased runoff and flooding compromised several county roads and bridges across Montezuma, Archuleta, Routt, Delta, Dolores, Montrose, and Moffat counties.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (37.8192, -108.8210)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1081488. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.