Disasters · Hesperus flood forecastHesperus river flood: 5.8-foot crest forecast for Sunday nightWritten October 31, 2026 at 11:48 PM UTCWatchTranscript0:07Forecasters expect the La Plata River to rise above flood stage.0:10The warning targets Hesperus, where minor flooding is forecast Sunday night into0:14Monday.0:14People and properties beside the river face a predicted crest three tenths of a foot0:18above the flood threshold.0:19What remains unresolved is how high the river actually rises and what that rise0:23affects.0:24Hesperus is the location named in the warning, with La Plata County identified as0:28the affected county.0:29The forecast concerns the La Plata River there.0:32Its reach shouldn't be read as a prediction of flooding across the whole county.0:35The National Weather Service in Grand Junction issued the warning Saturday,0:38October30,1 .0:39It expects the river to cross flood stage Sunday evening, November one, and reach0:43its highest level late that evening.0:45The river measured four point one feet Saturday morning.0:48Forecasters expect five point eight feet late Sunday evening, a rise of one point0:52seven feet.0:53The measurement describes Saturday's conditions.0:55The higher figure is the predicted crest.0:57Flood stage at Hesperus is five point five feet.1:00The listed bankful level is five point zero feet.1:02Saturday's measurement was one point four feet below flood stage and nine tenths of1:06a foot below bankful.1:07The predicted crest would clear flood stage by three tenths of a foot.1:11These figures describe the river's gauge level.1:14They don't tell someone how deep water would be on a particular road or beside a1:17building.1:18The warning forecasts minor flooding along this river.1:21Its most specific concern is the overnight rise, with water expected above the flood1:25threshold Sunday evening before falling below at early Monday morning.1:28A previous crest reached five point eight feet on May21 ,2005 .1:33Sunday's forecast matches that listed height.1:35Forecasters are using that earlier crest as a comparison for the rise they expect1:39this time.1:40The warning window starts Sunday afternoon ahead of the expected evening crossing of1:43flood stage.1:44Its Monday update and Monday expiration are separate events, two hours apart.1:48The warning period begins at three Sunday afternoon.1:51The next statement is scheduled for nine Monday morning, and the warning expires at1:55eleven.1:56Those Sunday and Monday times use Mountain Standard Time after Saturday's daylight2:00time observation.2:01Forecasters expect the river below five point five feet early Monday before the2:05scheduled expiration.2:06The actual crest and any resulting flood impacts at Hesperus still aren't known.Read the articleStory timelineHeyDex
