Mesa County authorities say monitoring equipment on near Collbran, installed to alert officials of any movement, was recently tampered with.
“The equipment is critical for officials to be able to make early notification to residents below the landslide and along the West Salt Creek basin,” the county sheriff’s office said in a Monday news release.
The on the Grand Mesa killed three men on May 25, 2014, and was the longest such slide in Colorado history.
Worries of another catastrophe have persisted in the slide’s wake, particularly in June, when heavy rains . The main risk, officials say, is in early spring as snowmelt travels down the slide area.
The tampered with equipment has been restored, officials say.
“Tampering with the equipment can always pose a significant risk to the residents who live below the massive slide area,” according to the release.
A says conditions remain that could prompt another disaster of comparable magnitude. Authorities say the slide area is closed due to safety concerns and to protect the monitoring equipment.
“People accessing the closed area can be cited for trespassing and those caught tampering with any of the monitoring equipment can be charged criminally,” the release said.
Jesse Paul: 303-954-1733, jpaul@denverpost.com or @JesseAPaul
