Governor Jared Polis gave an update Tuesday on the state's response to severe flooding across southwestern Colorado. State agencies shared road repair news and resources for people who lost homes, income or basic services.

Agencies taking part included the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, the Colorado Department of Transportation, the Colorado Department of Public Safety, the Department of Local Affairs and the Colorado Department of Natural Resources.

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"Coloradans are known for supporting each other, and we are seeing that again across Southwestern Colorado as communities recover from severe flooding. The state has teams on the ground and resources ready for Coloradans who have lost homes, income or access to basic services. This is a collaborative effort and I am thankful to the Colorado National Guard, local teams, state teams, volunteers, and everyone working around-the-clock on search and rescue, road repair and critical disaster recovery efforts. We are making sure workers, families and small businesses can find support, rebuild and have as many resources as possible to get back on their feet," said Governor Jared Polis.

Highway closures and repairs

As of November 10, three highways remain fully closed. They are US 160 Wolf Creek Pass, US 160 at the Piedra River Bridge and Colorado 151 south of Chimney Rock Monument.

Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) crews and contractors have been working around the clock. Their focus includes US Highway 160 Wolf Creek Pass between Pagosa Springs and South Fork. That stretch is expected to open within a week, depending on weather. The opening would allow Wolf Creek Ski Area to reopen to visitors.

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Crews are also restoring the bypass on Colorado 151. The work is key to access between Pagosa Springs and Durango. It is expected to be done before Thanksgiving.

"Our teams on the ground have made remarkable progress to make repairs after the two rounds of severe flooding," said CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew. "We won't stop this work to repair every damaged section of roadway, and some critical milestones that restore connectivity in southwest Colorado are very near. The team is currently on track to get limited traffic on Wolf Creek Pass open by this weekend, with Colorado 151 open before Thanksgiving. These roads will require speed reductions and extra traffic control, so we will need collaboration from the public to drive safely in these areas."

"People come from all over to enjoy the amazing skiing at Wolf Creek and visit Pagosa Springs, and I encourage Coloradans to visit the region this winter to hit the slopes, support our local communities and see all that Southwestern Colorado has to offer once roads are repaired and reopened," said Governor Polis.

Search, rescue and shelter

Search and rescue efforts are ongoing. The Colorado National Guard has rescued more than 65 people and over 30 pets from flooded areas. FEMA's 17-member Colorado Task Force 1 swift-water rescue team is helping in the San Luis Valley. FEMA is the Federal Emergency Management Agency. State aviation resources and local search-and-rescue teams are helping with rescues, welfare checks and damage surveys from the air. Those teams include members from South Metro Fire, Greeley Fire and Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

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Colorado Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (COVOAD) and state agencies are supporting local shelters, medical facilities and emergency supplies. They are also helping residents who were displaced or cut off by flooding. More than 30 non governmental organizations are working with COVOAD to help.

Colorado 211 is helping displaced people through a partnership with Airbnb. Its navigators worked through the weekend to process Airbnb emergency lodging vouchers and give evacuation guidance. 311 households and 30 first responders/critical care providers are being supported.

Disaster Assistance Centers

The Department of Local Affairs worked with local governments to set up Disaster Assistance Centers. Each center is a one-stop location for flood victims to get information and resources. The centers are in La Jara (Conejos County), Del Norte (Rio Grande and Mineral County), Pagosa Springs (Archuleta County) and Durango (La Plata County).

The four centers have helped over 1,000 individuals so far. The Durango center will stay open through November 10. The Pagosa Springs center will stay open through November 11.

Other state actions

The State Emergency Operations Center remains activated at Level One. It has handled more than 230 resource orders. These include bottled water, sandbags, water well-testing kits, sheltering and other emergency supplies.

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Colorado Division of Water Resources engineers are inspecting dams daily in flooded areas. They are focusing on structures that could affect public safety. Dams have generally performed well. However, some spillways were damaged and are being closely watched.

State emergency officials are working with phone and internet providers to restore service. They are also setting up satellite communications equipment where needed. In Archuleta County, landline 911 calls are being sent to Durango Dispatch. Emergency responders remain available to answer calls.

The state is working with county emergency managers, local first responders, Tribal partners and federal agencies.

Damage assessments

The state is coordinating Joint Preliminary Damage Assessments from November 10-12. The assessments will confirm damage from the most recent storm system. They are a key step in seeking federal help for flooding that began on October 31.

The assessments will cover the hardest-hit areas. The tentative schedule is:

Conejos County: Tuesday, November 10. Rio Grande County: Wednesday, November 11. Mineral County: Thursday, November 12. Archuleta County: Tuesday, November 10 through Thursday, November 12. La Plata County: Tuesday, November 10 through Thursday, November 12. Montezuma County: Tuesday, November 10.

Teams include representatives from each county and the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM). The U.S. Small Business Administration, FEMA and United Way 211 are also taking part.

The assessments cover both the FEMA Individual Assistance and Public Assistance programs. The information will show which areas were hit, how bad the damage is and what help is needed.

The state is also working with the National Weather Service to understand how the back-to-back floods relate to each other. That information and the damage reports will decide one thing. Either the state's first request for a Major Disaster Declaration can be expanded to include the later damage, or Colorado will need to send a separate request.

Help for workers

The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) put together an online list of resources for affected workers and employers at https://cdle.colorado.gov/support-for-workers-impacted-by-southwestern-colorado-flooding.

Workers who missed work because of flood evacuations, power loss or damage may be able to use their earned paid sick leave. That leave is covered by the Healthy Families and Workplaces Act.

Workers who lost their jobs because of flooding may be eligible for unemployment insurance. The same goes for workers who cannot reach their workplace or whose employer closed due to flooding. Whether workers get benefits depends on their situation and Colorado law.

Workers who were hurt or became ill because of the flooding may qualify for paid medical leave through the Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program. This includes mental health conditions that need ongoing care. Workers may also qualify for paid leave to care for a family member who was hurt or became ill. Details are at famli.colorado.gov.

"Coloradans living in the southwest part of our state have endured devastating flooding, and we're committed to ensuring impacted workers are aware of the support and resources available to them," said CDLE Executive Director Joe Barela. "We stand alongside our local communities and partner agencies, as Southwestern Colorado navigates recovery."

Resources for impacted residents

• For immediate emergencies, call 911.
• Sign up for county emergency alerts at https://dhsem.colorado.gov/emergencyalert.
• For help with assistance, shelter and temporary lodging, call 2-1-1, text your ZIP code to 898-211, or visit 211 Colorado's disaster response page at https://mars.colorado.gov/recovery-0.
• For road conditions and closures, visit COtrip.org or use the COtrip Planner app.
• To request free volunteer cleanup help, call 970-283-7325.
• For local updates, damage-reporting links and more resources, visit the DHSEM State Emergency Operation Center Updates page at https://dhsem.colorado.gov/taxonomy/term/100014.

Never walk or drive through floodwaters, debris or around barricades. Return to evacuated areas only when local officials say it is safe. Find more flood safety tips at Ready.gov/floods.