64
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
1
Direct injuries
$6.9M
Property damage
Flash Flood in La Plata County, Colorado: 64 recorded events between 1996 and 2022. The strongest on record measured 0. That places the county #403 nationally and #5 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Flash Flood in La Plata County, Colorado: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for flash flood in La Plata County is the 2000s, when 35 of the county's 64 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 La Plata County archive, flash flood makes up 25.0% of all recorded severe weather across 11 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #403 for this hazard and #5 within Colorado, putting it in the 86.8 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Sep is the peak month for flash flood in La Plata County with 24 recorded events, while Jan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 8, 2002 | DURANGO | 0 | 0 | 1 | $100K |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 27, 2022 | BAYFIELD | 0 | $25K |
| Jul 28, 2021 | (DRO)DURANGO/LAPLATA | 0 | $250K |
| Jul 28, 2021 | (DRO)DURANGO/LAPLATA | 0 | $50K |
| Jul 28, 2021 | (DRO)DURANGO/LAPLATA | 0 | $500K |
| Jul 25, 2018 | TRIMBLE | 0 | $20K |
| Jul 24, 2018 | TRIMBLE | 0 | $0 |
| Jul 24, 2018 | TACOMA | 0 | $0 |
| Jul 24, 2018 | ROCKWOOD | 0 | $2.0M |
| Jul 17, 2018 | ROCKWOOD | 0 | $200K |
| Sep 21, 2014 | DURANGO | 0 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from La Plata County
- Heavy Rain 59
- Hail 40
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Major flooding, mud and rockslides occurred in the Animas Valley along the Colorado Highway 550 corridor between mile markers 33 and 37. Fast moving flood waters and debris flowed in excess of 6 feet deep in places. About 6 feet of debris blocked Highway 550. The highway was closed for approximately 4.5 hours for debris cleanup. The flood waters and debris also flowed across the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad tracks which lead the train to stop and, as a result of the closure of the highway, about 800 passengers were stranded north of Durango. A section of the railroad track was heavily damaged. Significant damage occurred in the Whispering Pines and Pine Acres subdivisions where flash flood waters flowed. The flash flood waters and debris also traveled across a section of County Road 250 and caused widespread damage at the Durango North/Riverside KOA campground. Radar estimated half an inch to an inch of rain fell within a short period of time in the general area of the flash flooding.
Heavy rain washed out a culvert on La Plata County Road 309A near Durango-La Plata County Airport. The road was closed for several days for repair work. The Durango Airport received 1.34 inches of rain with storms that day.
Heavy rains washed out much of Shooter Lane near La Plata County Road 307 and also knocked down trees and fences along the road. The trees were 16 inches in diameter. Residents could hear Salt Creek roaring and estimated that the water was 10 feet deep compared to the normal 1 foot depth. Cattle got out as a result of the downed fences.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many flash flood events are on record in La Plata County, Colorado?
64 flash flood events are recorded in La Plata County between 1996 and 2022, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest flash flood recorded in La Plata County?
The strongest flash flood on record in La Plata County measured 0.
Where does the flash flood data for La Plata 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 La Plata County, Colorado.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/colorado/la-plata-county/flash-flood/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.