# NWS Forecasts Major Flooding at Pagosa Springs

Flood warnings forecast major flooding at Pagosa Springs and minor flooding at Hesperus; new watches and an advisory cover rivers in northwest New Mexico.

By Will Langan | 24X7 News
Published: 2026-10-31T16:00:22.245Z
Updated: 2026-10-31T20:09:51.975Z
Section: U.S.
Format: News
Canonical: https://24x7news.us/articles/san-juan-la-plata-river-flood-warnings-october-31-2026

October 31 Update — Additional River Alerts in New Mexico

The National Weather Service in Albuquerque issued new flood watches for the Animas and La Plata rivers in northwest New Mexico, alongside a San Juan River advisory at Farmington.

The Animas River near Cedar Hill measured 6.8 feet at 11 a.m. Mountain Daylight Time Saturday, below its 10.5-foot flood stage. The watch says flood stage could be reached late Monday morning.

At Farmington, the Animas measured 6.9 feet at 11:30 a.m. Saturday. Its flood stage is 10.0 feet, which forecasters say could be reached Monday afternoon.

The La Plata River below Redmesa stood at 4.7 feet at 11:30 a.m., compared with a 9.0-foot flood stage. Its watch says flooding could begin early Monday.

The separate San Juan River advisory at Farmington forecasts a rise to 7.3 feet Monday afternoon. That is above its 7.0-foot action stage but below the listed 8.5-foot flood stage. The river measured 3.6 feet at 11 a.m. Saturday.

These watches and the advisory concern forecast rises. They are distinct from the flood warnings previously issued for the Colorado locations described below.

Earlier October 31 Reporting

The National Weather Service in Grand Junction issued river flood warnings October 31 for southwest Colorado, forecasting major flooding on the San Juan River at Pagosa Springs and minor flooding on the La Plata River at Hesperus.

Both warnings concern expected rises beginning Sunday, November 1. They do not describe major flooding already measured Saturday morning.

At Pagosa Springs, the San Juan River was measured at 7.0 feet at 9 a.m. Mountain Daylight Time Saturday, according to the warning. Flood stage at that location is 10.5 feet.

The weather service forecasts the river to pass flood stage Sunday afternoon, rise to a crest of 17.0 feet early Monday and fall below flood stage Monday afternoon. The warning covers Archuleta County and describes its flood period as Sunday afternoon through Monday evening.

For historical comparison, the notice lists a previous crest of 17.8 feet on October 5, 1911. The projected 17.0-foot crest remains a forecast, rather than a new observed record.

The separate Hesperus warning covers the La Plata River in La Plata County. That river stood at 4.1 feet at 9:30 a.m. Mountain Daylight Time Saturday, below its 5.5-foot flood stage.

Forecasters expect it to rise above flood stage Sunday evening and crest at 5.8 feet late that evening, before dropping below flood stage early Monday. The notice classifies the expected flooding as minor and compares the projected crest with a 5.8-foot level recorded May 21, 2005.

The two warnings were issued Saturday morning. The weather service says further river statements are scheduled for Monday morning; the forecasts and measured stages above are those in the October 31 notices.

Sources
NWS Grand Junction — San Juan River at Pagosa Springs Warning: https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.be4b52948b839a0d5fe81ffdeffaa397353f7f12.001.1
NWS Grand Junction — La Plata River at Hesperus Warning: https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.516514de7fcd1a54cf04b8b0f74cfdb0cdac2c19.001.1
NWS Albuquerque — October 31 Animas River Near Cedar Hill Flood Watch: https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.b0d047be0e94c5c5ef9ce36d99eaeb47c131a88c.001.1
NWS Albuquerque — October 31 La Plata River Below Redmesa Flood Watch: https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.aebc38e84d9e7314393ff32f963625bfce11b501.001.1
NWS Albuquerque — October 31 Animas River at Farmington Flood Watch: https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.a4edf63dd047e30748263fbfb66e9ad673705d8f.001.1
NWS Albuquerque — October 31 San Juan River at Farmington Flood Advisory: https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.3ea9cf9b79e86b3747e72403193ca25ec4347f7b.001.1

## Sources
- NWS Grand Junction — San Juan River at Pagosa Springs Warning: https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.be4b52948b839a0d5fe81ffdeffaa397353f7f12.001.1
- NWS Grand Junction — La Plata River at Hesperus Warning: https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.516514de7fcd1a54cf04b8b0f74cfdb0cdac2c19.001.1
- NWS Albuquerque — October 31 Animas River Near Cedar Hill Flood Watch: https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.b0d047be0e94c5c5ef9ce36d99eaeb47c131a88c.001.1
- NWS Albuquerque — October 31 La Plata River Below Redmesa Flood Watch: https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.aebc38e84d9e7314393ff32f963625bfce11b501.001.1
- NWS Albuquerque — October 31 Animas River at Farmington Flood Watch: https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.a4edf63dd047e30748263fbfb66e9ad673705d8f.001.1
- NWS Albuquerque — October 31 San Juan River at Farmington Flood Advisory: https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.3ea9cf9b79e86b3747e72403193ca25ec4347f7b.001.1
- Image — San Juan River, Pagosa Springs; Beck.Bowen, June 6, 2025; resized and branded: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:San-Juan-River.jpg
- Image License — CC BY 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/