Flash Flood — Ouray, Colorado

2008-07-28 · near Ouray, Ouray, Colorado

Event narrative

Heavy rain on the mountains adjacent to the southeast part of the town of Ouray produced flash flooding on Oak Creek and Canyon Creek. The wall of water was six feet deep at the Box Canyon geothermal water plant where sediment got into the water line. Sediment carried by the water line was in inch deep at the Ouray Hot Springs. The Hot Springs had to be closed around 4 PM MDT and remained closed for the rest of that day to clean out the sediment. Six feet of South Pinecrest Road was washed out, and a culvert under that road was damaged. Debris up to a foot-and-a-half deep was deposited on other roads.

Wider weather episode

Monsoonal moisture was responsible for thunderstorms, including a few which produced heavy rainfall.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (38.0196, -107.6756)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 124915. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.