November 2, 2026.
Severe storms and sustained rainfall across the Four Corners have caused flooding, damaged homes and roads, disrupted utilities and forced evacuations in tribal and neighboring communities. The response spans Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah, with several Tribal Nations issuing emergency declarations or coordinating local response operations.
Southern Ute Tribe closes operations.
The Southern Ute Indian Tribe announced that tribal operations would be closed Monday, November 2, as the region continued to deal with flooding and storm impacts. Chairman Christine Sage had declared a State of Local Disaster on October 25 following severe storms, flash flooding and road damage. The Tribe activated its Emergency Operations Center as conditions developed.
Navajo Nation communities report extensive damage.
Flooding has affected communities across the Navajo Nation, including Shiprock, Rock Point, Dennehotso, Aneth and Montezuma Creek. In Shiprock, residents reported extensive damage to homes and businesses, along with prolonged power interruptions and displacement. A November 2 report by the University of New Mexico’s Daily Lobo cited a local estimate that approximately 500 homes had been affected. Businesses also reported losses, including food inventory.
In and around Rock Point, flooding along Chinle Wash prompted emergency response activity and disrupted access to supplies. Reports from the region described damage to roads and interruptions to water and electricity service, complicating conditions for residents and response crews.
Hopi Tribe declares an emergency.
The Hopi Tribe declared an emergency on October 22 as flooding affected multiple villages and threatened roads and other infrastructure. The response included the placement of approximately 20,000 sandbags. Reporting by KNAU described high water along Moenkopi Wash, with a gauge reading reaching 33.92 feet. The emergency declaration was expected to remain in effect through November 6, subject to changing conditions.
Jicarilla Apache Nation monitors flooding and road damage.
The Jicarilla Apache Nation was included in a federal emergency declaration covering New Mexico communities affected by severe storms and flooding. Tribal government emergency actions were reported as part of the broader response. An October 26 update from Jicarilla Fishing Operations said Mundo Reservoir was full, Enbom was overflowing and water levels at Stone Lake were elevated. Roads along the Navajo River were closed because of flood damage.
Ute Mountain Ute region experiences highway closures.
Flooding also disrupted travel in the Ute Mountain Ute region. Montezuma County issued an alert October 24 closing U.S. Highway 160 near Mile Marker 14 because of flooding. The Colorado Department of Transportation separately reported a closure of the U.S. 160 San Juan River Bridge near the Four Corners Monument. These were regional road closures; the available reports did not establish a separate Ute Mountain Ute tribal disaster proclamation.
San Juan River flooding prompts evacuations.
Rising water along the San Juan River led to evacuation notices for Bluff, Montezuma Creek and Aneth in Utah on October 25. Officials anticipated that approximately 150 people from Montezuma Creek and Aneth could need to evacuate. Bluff’s evacuation notice was lifted October 26. Reports said seven homes and four businesses in Bluff had flooded, while wastewater lagoons at Montezuma Creek were breached.
Durango and La Plata County face major flooding.
Heavy rain on November 1 caused Junction Creek to overflow in the Durango area, prompting evacuations and damaging homes, including properties in a mobile-home community. Flooding disrupted transportation and local operations, including a temporary suspension of activity at the Durango-La Plata County Airport and class cancellations at area schools and Fort Lewis College.
The Animas River reached approximately 12,900 cubic feet per second on November 2, according to Colorado Public Radio. The river level and continuing runoff added to concerns across the Durango area as emergency personnel responded to flooding and road impacts.
Federal disaster assistance and recovery.
Federal emergency assistance was approved for parts of New Mexico affected by the storms and flooding, including the Jicarilla Apache Nation and several pueblos. The federal action followed requests for assistance and state emergency measures. Tribal emergency declarations and state or county alerts are separate actions, and inclusion in a declaration does not by itself establish that every affected community or applicant has received funding.
Damage assessments and response efforts remained underway as of November 2. Reported impacts varied by community, and figures were preliminary.
