NWS warns of catastrophic San Juan River flooding near Bluff, Utah, with forecast crest above 1927 record

As of 3:09 p.m. ET, Oct. 25, 2026

The National Weather Service warned Sunday of catastrophic flooding along the San Juan River in southeastern Utah and southwestern Colorado, forecasting a crest near Bluff, Utah, well above the river's 1927 record. "Catastrophic flooding caused by excessive rainfall is expected along the San Juan River between Four Corners and Mexican Hat. This is an emergency situation!" the NWS Grand Junction flood warning said.

The warning, issued at 10:51 a.m. MDT (12:51 p.m. ET) and in effect until 6 a.m. MDT Tuesday, covers western Montezuma County, Colorado, and southern San Juan County, Utah. It forecasts the river near Bluff to rise above its 23-foot flood stage Sunday afternoon and crest at 43.6 feet early Monday morning, compared with a previous record crest of 32.0 feet in September 1927. The crest is a forecast, not an observed level. NWS said the crest would reach the Aneth, Montezuma Creek and Bluff areas Sunday afternoon and evening, and listed Mexican Hat, Tselakai Dezza, Halchita, Montezuma Creek, Aneth and Bluff among affected places. NWS Salt Lake City said major flooding would continue downstream to Lake Powell through at least late Tuesday morning.

San Juan County issued an emergency alert around 5 a.m. MDT Sunday telling residents of the Montezuma Creek and Aneth area to evacuate to Aneth School. The Navajo Nation Department of Emergency Management issued an evacuation notice for Bluff, Montezuma Creek and Aneth, according to KUTV, KSL, Fox13 and the San Juan Record.

Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren wrote on X Sunday afternoon that "approximately 150 people have been evacuated." He listed shelters at San Juan High School in Blanding, run with the Red Cross, and Aneth Community School, and said he was on site with emergency management, police and state transportation officials.

The Utah Department of Transportation said it closed SR-162 between mileposts 14 and 17 near Montezuma Creek because of flooding. No deaths or injuries had been reported in the sources reviewed for this report.

What is not known

It is not yet known whether the river will reach the forecast crest, how many homes or roads have been damaged, or whether more evacuations will be ordered downstream.