More than 380 homes in northern Vallecito were evacuated Saturday after floodwaters breached the levees along Grimes Creek and the west side of Vallecito Creek.
The stream gauge for Vallecito Creek showed 6,130 cubic feet per second Saturday afternoon – an apparent record, said Sarah Jacobson, La Plata County administrative analyst.
She said Tucker Lane, Mushroom View Drive and Vallecito Creek Drive had been closed.
As of 2:45 p.m. Saturday, 383 homes were evacuated.
Upper Pine River Fire Protection District led the evacuation and emergency response, under the direction of Fire Chief Bruce Evans, with assistance from the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office.
La Plata County Road and Bridge crews were also mobilized to clear debris from bridges and deliver sandbags to Upper Pine fire Station No. 1.
A footbridge was lost along Vallecito Creek, Jacobson said. That debris could pile up downstream.
“That’s what gets scary,” she said. “… If they go out, then they’ll start stacking up on the larger bridges that we absolutely need to save.”
Jacobson said the county emergency call center was accepting calls for information and assistance at (970) 385-8700.
Evacuation zones were located north of Vallecito Reservoir, according to La Plata County’s North Vallecito flood evacuation map on ReadyLaPlata.org.
Bayfield High School, located at 800 County Road 501, was serving as a check-in and shelter for evacuees.
Christy and Joe Korinko, who live in northern Vallecito, said they chose to evacuate shortly after noon after watching Vallecito Creek steadily rise. Their home is about 100 yards from the creek.
“The water was rising and we decided it was time to get out,” Christy Korinko said.
Joe Korinko said the speed and intensity of the rising waters were “exponential.” They monitored the creek all morning, and around 11 a.m. it “just started shooting up very quickly.”
They and their dog were on their way to Bayfield High School to check in before staying with a friend in Bayfield.
Christy Korinko said the creek was “running hard and fast” with “a lot of debris coming down,” and noted the county’s concerns about debris clogging bridges.
“Lots of earth-moving equipment was heading up the mountain while we were coming down,” Joe Korinko said.
The Korinkos have owned their home in Vallecito since 2002. It is in a 100-year floodplain, and they’ve never seen anything like Saturday’s flooding.
Flooding along Vallecito Creek in October 2006 prompted evacuations and destroyed flood control structures. At least 18 houses were inundated by floodwater, according to Upper Pine fire.
The Korinkos’ home, which they owned did not live in at the time, was untouched, Joe Korinko said.
Christy Korinko said the forecast for more rain over the next several was enough to convince them to leave.
Joe Korinko said he isn’t worried about thehome.
“Everything’s insured, but life isn’t,” he said.
The National Weather Service was forecasting another 1 to 2 inches of rain from Saturday afternoon through Monday.
La Plata County urged motorists to drive slowly and carefully, as debris and mud could appear on county roads.
“Mud is much denser than water, and even small amounts can cause any vehicle to slide or get stuck,” the release said. “Motorists should not drive into areas where the water covers the roadway. The water depth may be too great to allow a safe crossing.”
In a Facebook post published at 6:50 p.m. Friday, Upper Pine fire said Vallecito Creek stream gauges issued a High Spring Runoff alert when they detected 1,040 cfs.
“If you are in the North End of Vallecito you need to heighten your situational awareness,” the post said.
Upper Pine Fire said banks and creeks are susceptible to fast erosion and advised extreme caution.
In an update, Upper Pine fire said residents in north Vallecito must evacuate, and the fire district said the creek’s flow rate would peak until 8 p.m. Saturday.
“Many who refused to evacuate are now in need of rescue,” the district said. “Important to get out now to Bayfield High School. This water is fast-moving filled with debris and hazardous materials,”
Responders were working to prevent debris from wiping out a bridge at Grimes and Vallecito Creek, and crews were stacking sandbags at Blue Spruce RV Park & Cabins.
cburney@durangoherald.com
This is a developing story. Check back with www.durangoherald.com for updates.