Receding floodwaters have left communities in the U.S. Southwest coated in mud and littered with the debris of shattered homes and businesses. Residents in the Four Corners states and Nevada began cleanup efforts Tuesday after recent heavy rains turned parts of the region into lakes of mud.
In Pagosa Springs, Colorado, residents like retired teacher Jack Ellis surveyed the damage along the San Juan River, which experienced severe flooding for a second time in recent weeks. "This is quite a disaster for everybody, especially in the low-lying areas," Ellis said. "We dig in and dig out, and that’s what it’s going to take."
More than 20 trillion gallons of rain have fallen on the region over the past two weeks, according to calculations by former NOAA chief scientist Ryan Maue. While skies were clearing, flood risks remained as the vast amount of water moved through the dry landscape. Hundreds of evacuees were returning to their homes, but swift-water rescue teams continued operations. One death has been confirmed in the floodwaters, and a second death is suspected to be weather-related.
The flooding disrupted daily life in some areas, with communities in Colorado and Utah making alternative voting plans for Election Day. In Durango, Colorado, Willow Bradner described her home being surrounded by about two feet of mud after Junction Creek overflowed, sending nearly five feet of water inside. "Our basement became a soup bowl," she said.
Officials in New Mexico's San Juan County reported that major rivers, including the San Juan, Animas, and La Plata, had crested and were beginning to recede, though still above flood stage. The agency estimated it would take 24 to 48 hours for floodwaters to fully recede. Cleanup and repairs in Pagosa Springs are expected to take weeks or longer, with walkways and bridges damaged and businesses affected. Residents expressed hope for federal assistance during the recovery process.