How did last week’s #AnimasRiver flows compare with historical records? River peaked at 11,200 cubic feet per second Friday, less than half its all-time recorded high — The #Durango Herald

Durango flood of 1911 river scene. Photo credit Center of Southwest Studies, Fort Lewis College.

Click the link to read the article on The Durango Herald website (Shane Benjamin). Here’s an excerpt:

October 25, 2026

Heavy rain from the remnants of Hurricane Trudy that dumped 3 to 5 inches of rain across Southwest Colorado in about 24 hours Thursday caused the Animas River to overflow its banks and reminded residents of the risk of living in a 100-year flood plain. The swollen river reached a flow of 11,200 cubic feet per second at 2 p.m. Friday in Durango. That was nearly eight times the previous 2026 peak of 1,450 cfs, recorded May 15…Still, Friday’s surge was less than half the river’s highest recorded flow. On Oct. 5, 1911, the Animas River reached an estimated 25,000 cfs. And not far behind: On June 29, 1927, it reached an estimated 20,000 cfs.

The Animas River in Durango reached 8,700 feet and rising as of 7:30 a.m. on Friday. That’s the highest it has been since the flood of 1970 (11,600 cfs) and the 11th highest since consistent measurements began in 1911 (though it’s likely to move into 10th place later today). Further downstream, the Cedar Hill gage near the New Mexico-Colorado line was reading 10,800 cfs on Friday morning, and will likely continue to rise, with the potential for downstream flooding (it will also add to the San Juan River’s considerable flows).

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