Government river data and forecasts
| Rating | Source | What it is | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Key | USGS 09364500, Animas River at Farmington | Live gage height and flow for the Animas at Farmington | https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?legacy=1&site_no=09364500 |
| Key | USGS 09364500, 15-minute data table | Tab-separated record for the same gauge; used to check for sudden jumps | https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?cb_00010=on&cb_00060=on&cb_00065=on&format=rdb&site_no=09364500&legacy=1&period=&begin_date=2026-10-16&end_date=2026-10-23 |
| Key | USGS 09363500, Animas River near Cedar Hill | Upstream Animas gauge: live gage height and flow | https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?legacy=1&site_no=09363500 |
| Key | USGS 09363500, 15-minute data table | Tab-separated record for the Cedar Hill gauge | https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?cb_00010=on&cb_00045=on&cb_00060=on&cb_00065=on&cb_00095=on&cb_00400=on&cb_63680=on&cb_63680=on&cb_63680=on&format=rdb&site_no=09363500&legacy=1&period=&begin_date=2026-10-16&end_date=2026-10-23 |
| Key | NWS Albuquerque flood statement, Animas at Farmington | Latest official statement (2:31 PM): 11.4-ft crest forecast for late evening | https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=OAX&issuedby=ABQ&product=FLS&format=CI&version=1&glossary=1 |
| Key | NWS warnings page, Farmington area | All active river statements on one page: Animas at Farmington and Cedar Hill, San Juan at Farmington (major flood) and Shiprock | https://forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.php?warnzone=NMZ201&warncounty=NMC045&firewxzone=NMZ101&local_place1=3+Miles+WSW+Farmington+NM&product1=Flood+Watch |
| Supporting | NWS Albuquerque home page | The office every statement points to for updates | https://www.weather.gov/abq |
| Supporting | NWS Albuquerque product listing | All current Albuquerque products on one page | https://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=abq&wwa=all |
| Supporting | NWS national Flood Warning list | All active flood warnings nationwide | https://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=usa&wwa=Flood+Warning |
| Supporting | NOAA NWPS, Animas at Farmington (ARFN5) | Gauge page with flood categories and forecast graph; its observation display lagged during the event | https://water.noaa.gov/gauges/arfn5 |
| Supporting | NOAA NWPS, Animas at Durango (DRGC2) | Upstream gauge page: flood categories and the 1911 record crest | https://water.noaa.gov/gauges/09361500 |
Official alerts, through alert distributors
GovOneStop and Forth are private sites that republish official IPAWS emergency alerts. iAlert republishes NWS products. GovOneStop pages show no time zone, so their times are listed as displayed.
| Rating | Source | What it is | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Key | GovOneStop alert, 12:48 | County alert: "SAN JUAN RIVER RISING… EVACUATE NOW. 12 FEET OF WATER COMING TO YOU" | https://govonestop.com/eas/new-mexico-extreme-local-area-emergency-effective-10-23-2026-1248 |
| Key | GovOneStop alert, 13:01 | Same message, reissued | https://govonestop.com/eas/new-mexico-extreme-local-area-emergency-effective-10-23-2026-1301 |
| Supporting | GovOneStop alert, 6:57 | County "ANIMAS RIVER RISING" evacuation alert | https://govonestop.com/eas/new-mexico-extreme-local-area-emergency-effective-10-23-2026-0657 |
| Supporting | GovOneStop alert, 10:26 | Evacuation alert that names no river | https://govonestop.com/eas/new-mexico-extreme-local-area-emergency-effective-10-23-2026-1026 |
| Supporting | Forth alert record, 10:22 AM MDT | "SAN JUAN RIVER RISING" evacuation alert; names McGee Park as a shelter | https://www.forth.news/lists/ipaws/CgKUbRuxTdJ6SKBjAUMso |
| Supporting | Forth alert record, 12:07 PM MDT | Same message, sent again later | https://www.forth.news/lists/ipaws/CgKcbqB7QnorZyFAMzYg4 |
| Supporting | Forth alert collection | Animas alert for an area centered on Aztec; shows only a relative timestamp | https://www.forth.news/stories/CgHg7ye3UTpzV45ZYPGuG |
| Supporting | Forth NWS record, Farmington | Copy of the NWS 10:02 AM Farmington statement | https://www.forth.news/lists/nws/CgKT43iUssdzG6QVKbfEQ |
| Supporting | Forth NWS record, Cedar Hill | Copy of the NWS 10:02 AM Cedar Hill statement | https://www.forth.news/lists/nws/CgKT43iEVgku4jutbJEiC |
| Supporting | iAlert | Copy of the NWS 12:08 PM Farmington flood warning | https://ialert.com/alert.php?alert=11884635 |
Official entities quoted, with no direct URL
| Rating | Entity | Role | Where it's reached |
|---|---|---|---|
| Key | San Juan County Office of Emergency Management | Issued the evacuation orders and status updates | No direct URL was cited. Its updates appear in KSJD, KOAT and Source New Mexico. |
| Key | San Juan County Public Alerts / SJC Communications Authority (issuer 200830) | Sent the county emergency alerts | Through the GovOneStop and Forth links above |
| Supporting | Farmington Police Department (Chief Steve Hebbe) | Gave the noon briefing, including the "surge" remarks and evacuation warnings | Through the Albuquerque Journal and AP links below |
San Juan County and New Mexico news
| Rating | Source | What it is | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Key | Albuquerque Journal, "'It really is this bad'…" | Running coverage: Animas stages, about 600 Farmington homes evacuated, Hebbe's briefing | https://www.abqjournal.com/news/it-really-is-this-bad-flooding-triggers-evacuations-rescues-across-san-juan-county/3148013 |
| Key | KSJD newscast | Carried the county emergency office's update: Animas overtopping at Cedar Hill and a state of emergency | https://www.ksjd.org/podcast/ksjd-local-newscasts/2026-10-23/san-juan-county-n-m-to-declare-state-of-emergency-from-flooding |
| Key | Source New Mexico, "'A terrible crisis'…" | County officials' account of impacts, including the Bloomfield plant flooding | https://sourcenm.com/2026/10/23/a-terrible-crisis-san-juan-county-officials-describe-widespread-flooding-impacts/ |
| Key | KOAT, "New evacuations ordered…" | Evacuation areas (Cedar Hill CR 2620, Wildhorse Valley, Lee Acres, Bloomfield), McGee Park shelter, crest timing | https://www.koat.com/article/san-juan-county-evacuations-october-23-2026/74230128 |
| Supporting | KOAT, Bloomfield wastewater plant | Plant shutdown; untreated wastewater going into the San Juan | https://www.koat.com/article/bloomfield-wastewater-plant-flooded-san-juan-river/74230127 |
| Supporting | KOAT, "Evacuations issued for areas near Animas and San Juan Rivers" | The county emergency office's early evacuation call | https://www.koat.com/article/san-juan-county-river-evacuation-new-mexico/74223224 |
| Supporting | KOB, "'Once-in-a-generation' flooding…" | "Storm surge" reaching Farmington around noon; crests expected later Friday into Saturday | https://www.kob.com/news/top-news/once-in-a-generation-flooding-hits-four-corners-region-of-new-mexico-and-southern-colorado/ |
| Supporting | KRQE, "'We are in a terrible crisis'…" | Officials' update: river levels rising into Saturday | https://www.krqe.com/news/new-mexico/we-are-in-a-terrible-crisis-officials-give-update-on-flooding-in-san-juan-county/ |
| Supporting | KRQE, evacuations in southwest Colorado and San Juan County | River expected to peak late Friday or Saturday morning | https://www.krqe.com/news/new-mexico/mandatory-evacuations-in-place-in-archuleta-county-as-river-levels-rise/ |
| Supporting | Tri-City Record, "Widespread flooding prompts evacuations…" | Road closures and evacuations across the county | https://www.tricityrecordnm.com/articles/news/widespread-flooding-prompts-evacuations-road-closures-across-san-juan-county/ |
| Supporting | Tri-City Record, "San Juan County in crisis" | Flooding in Harper Valley and Lee Acres; officials' press conference | https://www.tricityrecordnm.com/articles/tri-cities/san-juan-county-in-crisis/ |
| Supporting | KKOB, "Evacuations ordered along San Juan, Animas rivers…" | The county emergency office's evacuation call along both rivers | https://www.newsradiokkob.com/2026/10/23/evacuations-ordered-along-san-juan-animas-rivers-as-floodwaters-rise/ |
National and wire coverage
| Rating | Source | What it is | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supporting | Associated Press | Wire story on rooftop rescues and higher water arriving via the Animas | https://apnews.com/article/extreme-weather-flooding-rescues-new-mexico-colorado-8ced1bb2e1ae213c3b0a5cf4eb72d166 |
| Supporting | CP24 (AP reprint) | The same AP story, timestamped 3:05 PM MDT | https://www.cp24.com/news/world/2026/10/23/severe-flooding-causes-rooftop-rescues-evacuations-in-us-four-corners-region/ |
| Supporting | Wyoming Public Media | Regional report listing evacuations for Rancho de Animas, Pryor Lane and Railroad | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2026-10-23/rescues-and-evacuations-grip-four-corners-region-as-ongoing-storms-bring-flash-floods |
Upstream conditions in Colorado
| Rating | Source | What it is | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supporting | The Colorado Sun | Animas flow at Durango rising from about 1,170 to 9,850 cfs by Friday morning | https://coloradosun.com/2026/10/23/southern-colorado-flooding-south-fork-area/ |
| Supporting | The Durango Herald | Animas near 10,000 cfs Friday morning | https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/news/tropical-storm-wrecks-havoc-on-roads-property-across-southwest-colorado/ |
| Supporting | WesternSlopeNow (KREX) | Animas closed to river use in Durango because of hazardous flows | https://www.westernslopenow.com/news/flooding-closes-animas-river-due-to-ongoing-flooding/ |
Left out
These were cited during the research but couldn't be confirmed, were reprints, were wrong, or covered something else:
- Couldn't be confirmed:
- Notice Nearby: cited only as its homepage.
- DefCon Level: an unconfirmed mirror of NWS alerts.
- IsItFlooding: its labels conflicted with the NWS flood categories.
- Boise State Public Radio: the story couldn't be confirmed.
- Reprints, or cited once and never checked:
- Washington Times and Yahoo.
- Santa Fe New Mexican and News From The States.
- The Durango Police post on X and the Durango Herald video.
- KOB's McGee Park story and KOAT's live blog.
- The NWS flash-flood list.
- Wrong: an NWS link with the wrong office code.
- About something else: the 2025 Vallecito Creek sources are accurate but cover a different event.