The second worst flood in Durango history occurred June 28 to 30, 1927; devastation was only surpassed by the October 1911 flood. The 1927 flood was caused by both rainfall and snowmelt. The Durango Evening Herald reported that the Animas Valley, for a distance of 15 miles above Durango, was under water. The river was half a mile to a mile wide in places. In Durango, the river overflowed the south end of the Main Street Bridge (between 15th and 16th streets, seen here), to a depth of several inches. (Courtesy of Ed Horvat for The Animas Museum, [email protected])
Heavy rain from the remnants of Hurricane Trudy that dumped 3 to 5 inches of rain across Southwest Colorado in about 24 hours Thursday caused the Animas River to overflow its banks and reminded residents of the risk of living in a 100-year flood plain.
The swollen river reached a flow of 11,200 cubic feet per second at 2 p.m. Friday in Durango. That was nearly eight times the previous 2026 peak of 1,450 cfs, recorded May 15.
The Animas Valley flood plain gets tested Friday north of Durango. (Courtesy of Tom Williamson)
But 2026 has been an especially dry year. In a typical year, the river tends to peak in May or June during the snowmelt, with median maximum flows reaching about 4,350 cfs, according to 2011 analysis by hydrologist Robert T. Milhous.
Still, Friday’s surge was less than half the river’s highest recorded flow.
On Oct. 5, 1911, the Animas River reached an estimated 25,000 cfs. And not far behind: On June 29, 1927, it reached an estimated 20,000 cfs.
This picture taken just days after the October flood in 1911 looks north with the Main Avenue bridge seen just beyond the streetcar. The photographer was standing near the intersection of Main Avenue and 15th street. The house pictured is about where the VFW is now. The water was 6 feet deep running down 15th Street during the height of the flood. Though this picture doesn’t show a lot of damage, there were more than 100 bridges washed away, and the total amount of damage to the region was estimated at $1.5 million, or more than $50 million today. (Ed Horvat for Animas Museum, [email protected])
Newspaper accounts of the 1911 flood described hundreds of people lining the riverbank as “mighty waves of destruction” rushed downstream. The bridge at Main Avenue and 15th Street acted somewhat like a dam, sending floodwaters into downtown Durango streets. Telegraph and telephone lines were wiped out, leaving Durango isolated for several days. The Animas Valley flood plain was said to “resemble one big lake.” And farther upstream, the torrent swept away dozens of bridges. The flood caused an estimated $1.5 million in damage, equivalent to more than $50 million today.