42
Recorded events
1
Direct deaths
0
Direct injuries
$748K
Property damage
Flash Flood in Garfield County, Colorado: 42 recorded events between 1997 and 2023. The strongest on record measured 0. That places the county #779 nationally and #8 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Flash Flood in Garfield County, Colorado: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for flash flood in Garfield County is the 2000s, when 16 of the county's 42 recorded events were logged. Comparing decades is useful for spotting active periods, but the earliest years are thin because systematic reporting for this hazard began later.
Within the Garfield County archive, flash flood makes up 18.3% of all recorded severe weather across 9 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #779 for this hazard and #8 within Colorado, putting it in the 74.5 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Aug is the peak month for flash flood in Garfield County with 17 recorded events, while Feb is the quietest. Seasonality here is a property of the archive as much as the climate: reports cluster where population and spotter networks are densest.
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 23, 1997 | SILT | 0 | 1 | 0 | $150K |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 1, 2023 | CARBONDALE | 0 | $0 |
| Jul 23, 2021 | RIFLE | 0 | $5K |
| Jul 22, 2020 | GLENWOOD SPGS | 0 | $0 |
| Jan 3, 2019 | CARBONDALE ARPT | 0 | $0 |
| Aug 4, 2017 | CARBONDALE | 0 | $0 |
| Jul 23, 2016 | GRAND VLY | 0 | $1K |
| Jul 23, 2016 | SILT | 0 | $100 |
| Jul 21, 2016 | GRAND VLY | 0 | $0 |
| Jul 2, 2016 | SILT | 0 | $0 |
| Sep 9, 2014 | RIFLE | 0 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Garfield County
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Heavy rain over a wildfire burn area resulted in flash flooding and debris flows which began on higher terrain to the east of County Road 137. Water and debris flowed out of 3 separate drainages and ran across County Road 137. One flow was 4 feet deep across the road, while the other two flows were 1 to 2 feet deep where they crossed the road. Total debris deposits spread out over a 1.5 mile section of the road. Several vehicles got stuck trying to drive through it. One house became completely surrounded by debris, and a garage was filled with mud and rock, covering an ATV completely and up to the wheel wells of a pickup.
Heavy rain over a wildfire burn area resulted in flash flooding and debris flows. Large amounts of debris, including partially burned trees, cut trees, mud and boulders were carried down drainages to the west of County Road 137. The debris spread out across Highway 6 to a depth of about 2 feet over a span of 40 to 50 feet. Debris was also deposited across railroad tracks along the Vulcan Ditch which was totally clogged with debris. The flow then spread out across Interstate 70 and covered a 300 yard stretch of both the east and west bound lanes. The interstate was closed for about 1 hour.
Thunderstorms with very heavy rainfall moved slowly over the Tavaputs Plateau near Baxter Pass. Flood waters made many areas of Colorado Road 202 impassable, especially where branches of West Salt Creek traverse the roadway. A bridge embankment was damaged from the flood waters.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many flash flood events are on record in Garfield County, Colorado?
42 flash flood events are recorded in Garfield County between 1997 and 2023, causing 1 direct deaths.
What is the strongest flash flood recorded in Garfield County?
The strongest flash flood on record in Garfield County measured 0.
Where does the flash flood data for Garfield County come from?
All events come from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of severe weather reports. Dates are UTC, damage is as reported and not inflation-adjusted, and the most recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“Flash Flood in Garfield County, Colorado.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/colorado/garfield-county/flash-flood/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.