Debris Flow in Rio Blanco County, Colorado

At approximately 5:30 PM MDT, the Boulder Service Hydrologist reported a debris flow south of the Lee Burn Scar flowing over Highway 64 between mile-marker 65 and mile-marker 66. This is in the lower Powell Park area. This region is known for debris flows, but this particular event was enhanced by flow off the adjacent burn scar. However, no damages, injuries, or fatalities were reported.

A plume of anomalously rich monsoonal moisture pushed into eastern Utah and western Colorado in the days prior to these debris flows. On the day of the flows, precipitable water values were in excess of 1.00 inch across the region. Daytime heating acting on the complex terrain of the region allowed for the formation of thunderstorms during the afternoon. These storms were capable of producing heavy rainfall with very high rain rates. Over the course of the day, multiple of these storms moved over the recent Lee and Elk RBX burn scars in Rio Blanco county, triggering multiple debris flows.