Poudre River Breach Spurs Greeley Flood Evacuations
GREELEY, Colo. (CBS4) - A breach along the Cache la Poudre River sent rushing flood waters into Greeley on Monday and prompted voluntary evacuations into the evening.
Officials don't consider the flooding to be life-threatening and said they expect the water in Greeley to recede Monday evening.
Two homes and a contractor supply business near 5th Street suffered some of the worst damage.
Oscar Flores helped his sister, whose home is inside the voluntary evacuation area, pack up.
"I just came here to try to help her and try to figure out what we're going to do," Flores said.
For more evacuation information, visit Greeley's flood information page or call 970-304-6444 for details about conditions in specific flood-prone areas.
Workers at DBE Manufacturing on 5th Street this morning discovered six inches of water inside their shop and on the loading dock. By afternoon, they were wading through nearly three feet. The owners estimate the flooding has caused more than $100,000 in damage to their store.
Snow melt from a higher-than-average snowpack is causing rivers across Colorado to surge above flood-stage levels.
But homeowners near 35th Avenue and F Street are not taking chances.
"When I started seeing the water coming a little bit over the railroad tracks, it was time to take precautions and go from there," resident Andy Nevarez told CBS4.
Timothy and Jessica Wynne packed belongings and prepared to leave. But they said they plan to stay as long as the evacuation is not mandatory.
"To me that's walking away from something that you can maybe save or maybe help your neighbors save," Timothy Wynne said. "Until it's mandatory, we are here to help everybody."
