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Highway 96 reopens following flash flooding

Posted at 5:28 PM, Jul 15, 2018
and last updated 2018-07-15 19:28:49-04

CDOT reopened Highway 96 between County Road 358 and 389  in Custer County Tuesday afternoon.

Crews cleared debris and repaired portions of the road that were damaged during flash flooding Sunday afternoon. CDOT crews also triggered rock slides along the road in an effort to prevent future slides.

On Sunday afternoon, the Sheriff’s office reported multiple cars were washed off the road as well as mudslides following heavy rains in the area. That caused the highway to be closed for two days between Wetmore and Westcliffe.

No injuries were reported from the floods.

Hardscrabble Creek crossing under Fremont County Road 106 went from being a quiet creekbed to a roaring river in a matter of minutes. The wall of water moving through Wetmore Sunday night was estimated to be 20 feet wide. 

Officials said the stream was so powerful due to the north and south flows of Hardscrabble Creek merging together. The Junkins Fire burn scar from two years ago also caused the water to flood easily and quickly in the area. 

Multiple residents were seen fishing out debris from nearby irrigation ditches to help waters from overflowing and reaching nearby homes.