Southwest Colorado is living through its worst flooding since 1911. Recovery will take a long time. Two rounds of storms, the first from October 22 to 25 and the second from October 31 to November 2, sent the Animas, San Juan, Piedra, Rio Grande, Conejos and other rivers over their banks. Homes, mobile home parks, ranches, roads, and bridges in La Plata, Archuleta, Rio Grande, Mineral, and Conejos counties are damaged or gone.
To everyone who has lost a home, a livelihood, or the place you built your business: we see you, and we feel for you. Many of you are founders and owners we know personally. Some of you were with us in Durango just weeks ago for West Slope Startup Week. The cleanup ahead is going to take time and money, and you should not have to figure it out alone.
This guide pulls together what we know right now: resources for business owners and families in La Plata County, Archuleta County, and the San Luis Valley (Rio Grande, Mineral and Conejos counties), and ways everyone else can help, both today and over the months to come. Conditions are changing daily, so always check the official county pages linked below for the latest.
Quick links
Start here
Whether you lost a home, a business or both, do these three things first. Federal help for individuals and businesses (FEMA Individual Assistance and SBA disaster loans) has not been approved yet, and these records are what make you eligible if it is.
- Document everything. When it is safe, take photos and video before you clean up. Keep every receipt for cleanup, repairs, lost inventory and temporary costs.
- Report your damage. In Archuleta County, use the Crisis Track Survivors Portal. In La Plata County, call the County Call Center at 970-385-8700. In the San Luis Valley, use Crisis Track for Rio Grande, Mineral or Conejos County. Reporting is not an application for aid, but it helps officials document the disaster.
- File insurance claims now. Start National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims at FloodSmart. The Colorado Division of Insurance and United Policyholders offer free help with policy questions and claims.
Watch for scams. FEMA never charges to apply or for an inspection. Be wary of contractors who want payment up front and of donation requests from accounts you don’t recognize. Report fraud to the National Center for Disaster Fraud at 1-866-720-5721.
Find help by need
Find what you need below, then look for your area. Help that reaches every affected area is listed last under each heading. For anything not listed here, call or text 211 Colorado (call 2-1-1, text 898-211, or visit 211 Colorado Disaster Response).
Disaster Assistance Centers
These centers are the best first stop for water, supplies, and in-person help finding resources. Dates and hours are tentative, so check before you go.
- La Plata: La Plata County Fairgrounds, 2500 Main Ave., Durango. Water, shelter, and a resource hub, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
- Archuleta: Wyndham Pagosa Springs, 42 Pinon Causeway, Pagosa Springs. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, November 4 to 8.
- San Luis Valley: High Valley Community Center (former middle school gym), 810 Oak St., Del Norte, noon to 6 p.m. Knights of Columbus Hall, 521 Spruce St., La Jara, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Both run November 4 to 8.
Updates and alerts
- La Plata: 2026 Flood page, ReadyLPC evacuation map, and LPC Alerts. Questions: 970-385-8700.
- Archuleta: Pagosa Springs Flood Recovery page and Nixle alerts (text 81147 to 888777). Questions: 970-508-9928, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- San Luis Valley: Rio Grande County posts flood updates and an evacuation map on its county website. Mineral and Conejos counties don’t have dedicated flood pages, so Colorado Responds is the best place for current shelter, assistance center and damage-reporting information for both. A boil water order is in effect for private wells across Rio Grande County and along the South Fork in Mineral County.
- Everywhere: Road conditions at COtrip.org.
Shelter and housing
- La Plata: Red Cross shelters at the La Plata County Fairgrounds (2500 Main Ave., Durango), Bayfield High School (800 County Road 501) and Ignacio High School (315 Ignacio St.).
- Archuleta: Shelters at the Pagosa Lakes Property Owners Association Clubhouse (230 Port Ave.) and Open Door Church (110 Trinity Lane), both in Pagosa Springs. Small animals can go to the Humane Society (465 Cloman Blvd.), and large animals to the Archuleta County Fairgrounds (344 Hwy 84).
- San Luis Valley: Red Cross shelter at the South Fork Community Building (254 CO-149, South Fork). Small animals and livestock can go to the La Jara Arena (17705 US-285, La Jara).
- Everywhere: If your primary home is in a mandatory evacuation zone, call 211 Colorado at (866) 760-6489 (weekdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) to register for an Airbnb.org stay of up to 28 nights.
Emergency cash
- La Plata: One-time grants for rent, utilities or deposits through the Community Emergency Assistance Coalition, administered by SW Housing Solutions. Families can also call La Plata County Human Services at 970-382-6150. Veterans can contact La Plata County Veterans Services (970-759-0117) or the VFW Post 4031 Relief Program (970-247-0384).
- Archuleta: Emergency financial assistance for affected families through the Pagosa Community Initiative Family Resource Center.
- San Luis Valley: No local emergency cash program has been announced yet. Start at a Disaster Assistance Center in Del Norte or La Jara, or call 211.
- Everywhere: The American Red Cross offers emergency financial assistance to flood-affected households; call (970) 242-4851 to sign up. Colorado Works offers up to $2,000 to affected families with children and gross income under $75,000. Our Front Porch provides free recovery casework, including insurance navigation, housing advocacy and emotional support (720-593-8606).
Food and water
- La Plata: Manna Soup Kitchen is serving meals to evacuated residents (970-385-5095). The Fairgrounds gives up