Colorado Task Force 1 activated for flooding in southwest Colorado – CBS News

Colorado Task Force 1 activated for flooding in southwest Colorado  CBS News

Colorado Task Force 1 was activated Monday morning to respond to historic flooding across southern and southwestern Colorado. The task force deployed a 17-member swiftwater and flood rescue team.According to West Metro Fire Rescue, CO-TF1 will bring specialized search and rescue personnel and equipment to support emergency responders. That includes crews to help search for and rescue people trapped or stranded by flooding. The flooding emergency extends across multiple counties, with dangerous conditions expected to continue. The San Juan River at Pagosa Springs is expected to crest at 22 feet, which would exceed historic flood levels recorded in 1911. The National Weather Service in Grand Junction says that at 20 feet, some homes become inaccessible as roads flood.

Last week, catastrophic flooding prompted officials to issue a disaster declaration as waters left residents stranded and washed away homes. There are numerous road closures and widespread damage to roads and bridges in La Plata County. All government offices were closed on Monday except for voter services. Polling centers will remain open to the public as originally scheduled.Wolf Creek Ski Area was closed on Nov. 1, just one day after opening, due to mandatory evacuation orders in Archuleta County. Wolf Creek said the closure was a precautionary measure due to flooding threats in the San Juan Basin. The ski area opened about