Montrose County addresses snowmelt flooding concerns

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KJCT) - Western Slope counties are working to make sure the flooding impact isn’t too severe.

“The flooding kind of has, you know, subsided a little bit, just because of mother nature’s help. The cooler temperatures that we had last couple of weeks have slowed the flooding down to more of a little bit of a manageable pace,” said Scott Hawkins, Montrose County emergency manager.

Hawkins explained this year; it’s different. “Because on the plateau, it’s still at 32.4 inches of equivalent water sitting up there.”

So there’s quite a bit of water. It’s the wettest year recorded in the last 37 on the plateau. So, what does this mean for Montrose residents? “We just don’t know,” said Hawkins. “It just depends on how fast it comes off.”

As we get into May, rising temperatures increase the melt rate. That could cause flooding in some areas. “For this week, it looks like it’s going to drop back into the middle 60s, which will help slow that water meltdown,” said Hawkins.

Still, the county is closely monitoring water levels and prepping. “We still have the sandbags stations that we’re doing for citizens,” said Hawkins.

In Montrose, sandbags can be picked up at the southwest corner of Park Avenue and the San Juan bypass.

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