May 6, 2023
Accelerated snowmelt from a near-record snowpack due to above normal temperatures produced high and fast flow on drainages in Mesa County that stemmed from the Dolores River. One such area was West Creek near Gateway, where an individual drowned after accidentally backing their ATV into the fast-flowing, flooded creek.
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database (event 1086404). Narrative written by NWS staff at the time of the event.
This event is one of many recorded floods in Mesa County. See the full FEMA flood zone map, NFIP claim totals, and disaster history for the area.