SHR
Poudre River Status

The Poudre River is closed between the Fish Hatchery and Rustic while debris cleanup is underway.

RECOVERY INFORMATION

Resources, contacts, and more for recovering from the Black Hollow Rd flood.

Sunday, 7/25/21

Search crews located and recovered an adult male from the Poudre River today in the area of mile marker 92. The Larimer County Coroner’s Office will release the identity and cause of death.

With evident and planned areas well searched, search teams will not be fielded again unless new information presents a need. Our thanks to the dozens of volunteers and partner agencies who have helped with the search since Tuesday evening.


Saturday, 7/24/2021

Today the search for the three missing adults utilized 3 dogs and 4 Larimer County Search and Rescue (SAR) team members. The team worked with heavy equipment operators to investigate large piles of debris for signs of the missing, but did not locate anyone.

The search will resume on Sunday morning with a larger contingent of SAR as well as members of the Larimer County Regional All-Hazards/Crisis Response Team. The water levels have decreased dramatically, and personnel will revisit areas near Black Hollow Creek Road that were previously submerged.

Please use caution while in the canyon, both for the safety of search and work crews as well as to protect yourself in the event of a flash flood. If you are caught in a flash flood, leave your vehicle and climb to the highest ground possible. Don’t try to out run or drive across floodwaters.


Friday, 7/23/2021

The search for the three missing adults resumed this morning.  They were not found, and search efforts were ceased around 2:30 p.m. due to weather.  The search will continue Saturday morning with reduced resources.

The Larimer County Damage Assessment Team determined that six residential structures were destroyed, one detached garage was destroyed, and one residential structure was damaged.  All structures were on Black Hollow Road.  With help from the Poudre Canyon Fire Protection District Chief, all owners have been notified.

The Poudre River remains closed from the Fish Hatchery to Rustic while debris removal is underway.

Today’s weather forecast includes a significant threat of flash flooding for the Cameron Peak Fire burn area, including Poudre Canyon.  Please be cautious, have means to receive emergency alerts about dangerous conditions, and seek higher ground immediately if flooding occurs.

 

Thursday, 7/22/2021

After continual review and analysis of the risks and contents of the debris field in and around the Poudre River, Sheriff Smith is lifting use restrictions on the river for all areas below Rustic effective immediately. River use above Rustic will remain restricted until it is safe to remove them.

All evacuation orders in the Poudre Canyon have been lifted and residents may return to their properties.

A vehicle was recovered from the river today but it was not occupied. The three adults are still missing. The search will continue Friday morning with reduced resources.

As restrictions are lifted, we encourage those entering the canyon to be mindful of the weather and river status during their visit. The forecast calls for more thunderstorm activity and conditions can change very rapidly. Let someone know where you’re going. If you see water rising, climb to the highest ground you can reach.

Total personnel Today: 45

Total personnel Yesterday: 50

Agencies involved: Larimer County Dive Rescue Team, Larimer County Search and Rescue, Emergency Services IA Module, LCSO Drone Team, UCHealth TEMS, Patrol and Reserves, US Forest Service, Poudre Canyon Fire. On Tuesday night Poudre Fire, Colorado State Patrol, Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control, CDOT, and the Larimer County Regional AH/CR Team also assisted.


Wednesday, 7/21/2021

Crews recovered the body of the deceased adult female and worked to locate the two missing adult males. Deputies identified another adult female who is missing. The Coroner’s Office will identify the deceased, along with cause and manner of death.

Damage assessments are on-going.

Highway 14 has been opened for traffic, but the river remains ordered closed until further notice. We will continue to assess the conditions of the river to evaluate the necessity of the closure order and will open it as soon as it is safe to do so.

As of 5 p.m. the Joint Information Center will be closed with no plan to reopen unless the situation changes. Follow @larimersheriff on Twitter and Facebook for updates, sign up for text notifications by sending LCEVAC or FLOOD2021 to 888777, and visit https://nocoalert.org for the most current emergency information in Larimer County.


On Tuesday, 7/20/2021, at approximately 6:05 p.m., the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office received reports of flooding in the Poudre Canyon above Rustic. A mudslide occurred near Black Hollow Road and sent a large amount of debris into the canyon, destroying at least five structures and damaging the roadway. Emergency crews were in the canyon and alerted residents and visitors to the approaching danger.

One adult female was located deceased in the flood, and two other adults are confirmed missing. As search operations continue today, emergency crews will be searching on foot and with drones. Divers will be attempting to recover the body of the deceased female and a passenger vehicle that is in the river.

Resources active in the canyon today include Larimer County Search and Rescue, Larimer County Dive Rescue, Colorado DFPC, and the USFS.

Larimer County Damage Assessment Teams will begin surveying damage today.


Reports of flooding in the Poudre Canyon between Cameron Pass and Ted's Place were received in the early evening on 7/20/21. This situation is still evolving and updates will be posted here and pushed to the keywords LCEVAC and FLOOD2021. Social media feeds are available below if you do not follow us on Twitter and Facebook.