MOFFAT COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) — Colorado’s second-largest county by land area declared a local disaster emergency as it prepares for potential flooding.
Moffat County commissioners approved that declaration Friday night, citing an “imminent risk of widespread or severe damage, injury or loss of life or property resulting from flooding.”
Moffat County, which spans nearly 5,000 square miles in the northwest portion of the state, has seen historic snowfall this winter and spring.
County Commissioner Tony Bohrer said they are already seeing flooding occur as that snow begins to melt.
“I think we were expecting it,” he said. “But not so fast. The high country hasn’t even started to melt. This is just the lower country that we’re dealing with.”
Bohrer said they are concerned that flooding will escalate over the next few days, with forecasted highs in the 50s and 60s on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.
Sandbag stations have been set up in Craig, where he said multiple roads have already been closed due to water this week.
“You’re talking probably tens of thousands of dollars to get our county roads back to where they’re supposed to be after the flooding comes,” Bohrer said. “We don’t know what it’s going to be in town yet for houses and those types of things.”