A flood warning warning was issued for Vallecito, Bayfield and Pagosa Springs until 2 p.m. Wednesday, and a flood advisory is in effect through Friday night.
The warning means that with the rain that arrived Wednesday morning, flooding was likely to start shortly. The warning was issued at 10:56 a.m.
Regionally, there is a flash flood watch through Thursday evening.
A flood advisory means that rivers and streams are elevated and flooding of low-lying areas near the river is happening or imminent.
The Pine River is high because of releases from Vallecito Dam combined with recent rainfall and snowmelt.
Water conditions will remain high through today, and more rain is in the forecast through this weekend, with a 30-percent chance of rain on Friday and Saturday. Flooding could occur in Vallecito, Bayfield and Ignacio, according to the flood advisory from the Grand Junction office of the weather service.
The flash flood watch covered the Four Corners area, including the Animas, San Juan and Dolores river basins.
A flash flood watch means that conditions might develop that could lead to flash flooding.
There was significant rain in the Bayfield area overnight Tuesday and early Wednesday, and a thunderstorm on Wednesday morning brought more rain to the area.
Upper Pine Fire Chief Bruce Evans said Wednesday his staff was monitoring all the bridges below Vallecito dam.
"The only one we're concerned about is the north bridge at Camp Kivu," a couple of miles below the dam, he said. Camp staff are monitoring that. Upper Pine has been in contact with Pine River Irrigation District, which controls Vallecito dam releases, and with the Lemon dam operator and County Emergency Management Director Butch Knowlton.
Lemon Reservoir was getting full, and dam releases were being increased, Evans said.
As of about 11 a.m. Wednesday, PRID was releasing 2,450 cubic feet per second from the dam trying to match in-flows to the reservoir, which were described as "fluid."
"This morning we were almost a foot down from Sunday" for the water level in the lake, PRID office manager Christy Duran said. "We've been trying to get it down." They also have been in contact with county emergency staff.
On Tuesday, fire district responders removed debris from the pilings of the access bridge to the Pine River Ranches subdivision north of Bayfield at Bear Creek, Evans said.
Upper Pine has also made preparations for sandbags if those are needed, he said.
As of mid-morning Wednesday, the lower part of Ignacio's Shoshone Park did not have any water in it, according to Ignacio Police.
