Governor Polis Provides Update on Flooding in Southwestern Colorado, Shares Resources to Support Impacted Coloradans

Update on Highway 151 and Wolf Creek Pass

DENVER - Today, Governor Polis provided an update on Colorado's ongoing response to severe flooding across southwestern Colorado. Several state agencies including the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, the Colorado Department of Transportation, the Colorado Department of Public Safety, the Department of Local Affairs and the Colorado Department of Natural Resources shared updates and resources for impacted Coloradans.

"Coloradans are known for supporting each other, and we are seeing that again across Southwestern Colorado as communities recover from severe flooding. The state has teams on the ground and resources ready for Coloradans who have lost homes, income or access to basic services. This is a collaborative effort and I am thankful to the Colorado National Guard, local teams, state teams, volunteers, and everyone working around-the-clock on search and rescue, road repair and critical disaster recovery efforts. We are making sure workers, families and small businesses can find support, rebuild and have as many resources as possible to get back on their feet," said Governor Jared Polis.

Update on US 160 and CO 151

CDOT maintenance crews and contractors have been working around-the-clock to reopen critical routes and prioritize extensive repair work on several highways including US Highway 160 Wolf Creek Pass between Pagosa Springs and South Fork. As of Nov. 10 three highways remain fully closed, US 160 Wolf Creek Pass, US 160 at the Piedra River Bridge and CO 151 south of Chimney Rock Monument. US 160 Wolf Creek Pass is anticipated to open within a week, weather dependent, allowing Wolf Creek Ski Area to reopen and welcome visitors back to the mountain. Work to restore the bypass on CO 151 is critical to gain access between Pagosa Springs and Durango is anticipated to be completed before Thanksgiving.

"Our teams on the ground have made remarkable progress to make repairs after the two rounds of severe flooding," said CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew. "We won't stop this work to repair every damaged section of roadway, and some critical milestones that restore connectivity in southwest Colorado are very near. The team is currently on track to get limited traffic on Wolf Creek Pass open by this weekend, with CO 151 open before Thanksgiving. These roads will require speed reductions and extra traffic control, so we will need collaboration from the public to drive safely in these areas."

"People come from all over to enjoy the amazing skiing at Wolf Creek and visit Pagosa Springs, and I encourage Coloradans to visit the region this winter to hit the slopes, support our local communities and see all that Southwestern Colorado has to offer once roads are repaired and reopened," said Governor Polis.

Resources for impacted workers

To assist affected workers and employers, CDLE compiled an online list of resources to help workers navigate the various wage replacement resources available to them including:

• Paid sick leave covered by the Healthy Families and Workplaces Act (HFWA): Under HFWA, workers who missed work due to the flood evacuations, loss of power or damage may be able to use their accrued paid sick leave to cover these absences.
• Temporary wage replacement through Unemployment Insurance (UI): Workers who lost their jobs due to flooding, cannot reach their workplace, or their employer closed because of flooding, may be eligible for unemployment insurance. Whether or not workers receive unemployment benefits depends on individual circumstances and Colorado law.
• Paid family and medical leave via the Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program: Workers who were injured or became ill because of the flooding may qualify for paid medical leave while they recover. This includes mental health conditions that require ongoing care. If a family member was injured or became ill, workers may qualify for paid leave to care for them.

"Coloradans living in the southwest part of our state have endured devastating flooding, and we're committed to ensuring impacted workers are aware of the support and resources available to them," said CDLE Executive Director Joe Barela. "We stand alongside our local communities and partner agencies, as Southwestern Colorado navigates recovery."

Preliminary Damage Assessments

The State is actively coordinating Joint Preliminary Damage Assessments that will verify damages caused by the most recent storm system that impacted the region, a critical step in pursuing federal funding assistance for the flooding that began on Oct. 31. These assessments will be conducted between Nov. 10-12 in the areas with the greatest damages including Archuleta, Conejos, La Plata, Mineral, Montezuma and Rio Grande counties. Assessment teams include representatives from each county, Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM), the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and United Way 211.

Assessments being conducted are for both the FEMA Individual Assistance and Public Assistance programs. The information collected is used to determine the areas impacted and extent of damages, and the type of assistance that would be needed to address the impacts. The state is coordinating with the National Weather Service to understand the nature and relationship of the back-to-back flooding events to one another and that information along with the damage assessment documentation will inform whether the initial MDD request can be amended to include the subsequent damages or if Colorado will need to submit a separate MDD request.

The tentative schedule of assessments is as follows:

• Conejos County: Tuesday, Nov. 10
• Rio Grande County: Wednesday, Nov. 11
• Mineral County: Thursday, Nov. 12
• Archuleta County: Tuesday, Nov. 10 through Thursday, Nov. 12
• La Plata County: Tuesday, Nov. 10 through Thursday, Nov. 12
• Montezuma County: Tuesday, Nov. 10

State Response and Recovery Efforts

The State is working closely with county emergency managers, local first responders, Tribal partners, and federal agencies to support impacted communities. Ongoing state actions include:

• Search and rescue: Search and rescue efforts are ongoing. The Colorado National Guard has rescued more than 65 people and over 30 pets from flood-impacted areas. FEMA's 17-member Colorado Task Force 1 swift-water rescue team is supporting operations in the San Luis Valley. State aviation resources and local search-and-rescue teams, including members from South Metro Fire, Greeley Fire and Colorado Parks and Wildlife, are assisting with rescues, welfare checks, and aerial damage assessments.
• Emergency services, temporary housing and shelter: Colorado Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (COVOAD) and state agencies are supporting local shelters, medical facilities, emergency supplies, and assistance for residents displaced or isolated by flooding. Colorado 211 continues to support those displaced by the floods through their partnership with Airbnb. 211 navigators operated throughout the weekend processing AirBnB emergency lodging vouchers and providing evacuation guidance. 311 households and 30 first responders/critical care providers are being supported. More than 30 non governmental organizations are actively supporting the communities impacted by the floods through COVOAD.
• Establishment of Disaster Assistance Centers (DACs): DACs serve as one-stop locations for those impacted to access critical information and resources. The Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) has worked closely with local governments to set up DACs in La Jara (Conejos County), Del Norte (Rio Grande and Mineral County), Pagosa Springs (Archuleta County), and Durango (La Plata County). To date, the four DAC's have assisted over 1,000 individuals, with the Durango and Pagosa Springs DACs to remain open through November 10 and 11, respectively.
• Recovery coordination: The State Emergency Operations Center remains activated at Level One operations and has processed more than 230 resource orders, coordinating the delivery of bottled water, sandbags, water well-testing kits, sheltering and other emergency supplies.
• Dam safety: Colorado Division of Water Resources engineers are conducting daily dam inspections in flood-impacted areas, prioritizing infrastructure that could affect public safety. While dams have generally performed well, some spillways have sustained damage and are being closely monitored.
• Communications restoration: State emergency management officials are coordinating with telecommunications providers to restore disrupted cellular and internet service and deploy satellite communications equipment where needed. In Archuleta County, landline 911 calls are being routed to Durango Dispatch, and emergency responders remain available to respond to calls.

Additional resources for impacted Coloradans:

• Immediate emergencies: Call 911.
• Emergency alerts: Coloradans are encouraged to sign up to receive emergency alerts for their county.
• Assistance, shelter and temporary lodging: Coloradans can call 2-1-1, text their ZIP code to 898-211, or visit 211 Colorado's disaster response page.
• Road conditions and closures: Visit COtrip.org or use the COtrip Planner app.
• Find tips for staying safe during a flood: Never walk or drive through floodwaters, debris, or around barricades. Return to evacuated areas only when local officials say it is safe. Find tips for staying safe during floods at Ready.gov/floods.
• Volunteer cleanup assistance: To request free volunteer help, call 970-283-7325.
• Local updates, damage-reporting links and additional resources: Visit DHSEM's regularly updated State Emergency Operation Center Updates page.

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