DENVER—Coloradans are keeping a nervous eye on rising rivers as a late spring heat wave melts snow quickly, swelling waterways, wiping out bridges and flooding some homes.
A flash flood warning was in effect through Tuesday evening in parts of north central and northeast Colorado, including Boulder and the western Denver suburbs.
In Boulder County, bike paths along Boulder Creek were closed and a bridge in Boulder Canyon partially collapsed. Crews were clearing debris built up behind the bridge because they were concerned a surge of about 2 feet of water could flow down the canyon if the bridge fails.
Officers were trying to keep people off the path in case of a surge. A dive team was also on call in case anyone is swept away, city spokeswoman Jody Jacobson said.
In Greeley, north of Boulder, there was minor street flooding from the Cache la Poudre River.
In Vail, 15 homes had flood damage and 2,000 sandbags have been used to reinforce river banks, said Fire Chief Mark Miller. Miller said waters appeared to recede Tuesday, but portions of recreation paths remained closed. City officials planned to use a crane to remove a bike bridge damaged by high water.
The high water has prompted some rafting companies to halt guided trips. In Estes Park, a northern Colorado town near Rocky Mountain National Park, some 500 sandbags were handed out Monday to hold back the rising Big Thompson River.
High waters were blamed for the weekend drowning death of an Aspen man rafting in the swollen Eagle River. William Spang, 48, drowned when his private raft capsized.
Water events at last weekend’s Teva Mountain Games in Vail were called off.
The unseasonably hot weather has quickly melted snow in the mountains, causing rivers to rise rapidly and flood. Temperatures in Denver topped 90 degrees Monday.
In west-central Wyoming, Gov. Dave Freudenthal declared one county a disaster area after homes were flooded and bridges washed out.
Temperatures across the region were expected to cool somewhat Tuesday. But officials worried about a chance of afternoon thunderstorms, which would worsen the flooding.
In southern Colorado, fire warnings were issued Tuesday because of high winds.
