Residents Dig Out Mud After Two Weeks of Heavy Rain

Residents across the southwestern United States began clearing mud from their homes and businesses on Tuesday.

The cleanup started after days of severe flooding left neighborhoods coated in sediment and damaged structures.

Skies cleared on Tuesday, allowing workers to start digging, though high water continued to move through the region.

The water arrived in large volumes over the previous two weeks.

Ryan Maue, a former chief scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, calculated that more than 20 trillion gallons of rain fell on the Four Corners states and Nevada.

The heavy precipitation affected the area where Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah meet.

Officials warned that flood risks persisted as the water drained across the dry landscape.

Hundreds of evacuees returned to their homes on Tuesday.

Swift-water rescue teams remained active in the area.

One person died in the floodwaters.

Police suspect a second death was also weather-related.

The flooding disrupted Election Day plans in several states on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, relative to the article date of 2026-11-03. Note: The prompt says refer to time relative to article date. So Tuesday is the article date. Wait, if article date is Nov 3 2026, and it says 'began digging out on Tuesday', then Tuesday is Nov 3 2026. So 'Election Day plans' refers to the same day or recent days. Let's stick to the facts. The source says 'Election Day plans'. I will say 'Voting plans' to be safe or keep 'Election Day' if it is a proper noun. The source says 'Election Day plans'. I will use that term. The source says 'some communities in Colorado and Utah making alternative voting arrangements.' In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an emergency declaration. Polling places were changed in at least eight counties after downpours swamped parts of the state. In Pagosa Springs, Colorado, officials said cleanup and repairs could take weeks or longer. Walkways and bridges collapsed or were heavily damaged. Jack Ellis, a retired school teacher, surveyed the damage along the San Juan River. He said, 'This is quite a disaster for everybody, especially in the low-lying areas.' He added, 'We dig in and dig out, and that's what it's going to take.' Ellis expressed hope that the federal government would provide assistance. He stated, 'I hope the federal government helps out a little bit.' He noted, 'I know we're a blue state.' He continued, 'I just hope that they come through because we all pay taxes and we all work for each other in a time like this.' In Durango, about 60 miles west, Willow Bradner found her ranch-style home surrounded by about 2 feet of mud. An overflowing Junction Creek sent nearly 5 feet of water into her home at one point. Bradner said, 'Our basement became a soup bowl.' The basement had been a selling point when she bought the property in 2024. Bradner runs a small custom closet and storage business with her husband. The couple asked whether they needed flood insurance and were told they were outside the flood zone. Bradner said her family, including their teenage daughter, has been offered a place to stay through the end of the year. Strangers have shown up with shovels to help with the cleanup. Bradner said the loss of the house and the uncertainty ahead are overwhelming. She stated, 'The majority of our savings is in this house.' She added, 'We have to dig deep and we have to rebuild.' In San Juan County, New Mexico, officials said the region's major rivers, including the San Juan, Animas, and La Plata, have all crested. The agency posted online on Tuesday, 'None are below flood stage, but will continue to recede.' The agency added, 'We believe that the crest has passed on all rivers, but it will take 24-48 hours for floodwaters to recede.' Officials in New Mexico's San Juan County said the region's major rivers, including the San Juan, Animas, and La Plata, have all crested. The agency posted online on Tuesday, 'None are below flood stage, but will continue to recede.' The agency added, 'We believe that the crest has passed on all rivers, but it will take 24-48 hours for floodwaters to recede.'