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Rocky Mountain News State/Region Page 42 I --- -- - . ... . Friday, June 14, 1985 . o San Luis Valley floodwaters receding RockV Moulaln News Soulharn Bureau Floodinl{ has lessened along the Rio Grande, Alamosa and Conejos rivers in the southern San Luis Valley, but not before seven rural families were forced to leave their homes and several small bridges were knocked out, authorities said Thurs- day. High water has been receding for the past two days, said Del Norte Town Man- ager Frank Ortega. The Conejos County sheriff's office said a few small bridges were washed out along the Alamosa and Conejos rivers near the New Mexico border. "Flooding has been very limited here In our county," said Conejos Sheriff Gene DeHerrera. "Other than a few washouts, so far we're in pretty good shape." DeHerrera said he doesn't anticipate any more nooding problems. Water level of the Terrace Reservoir is only 3111 inches above the spillway, down considerably from the last conple days, he said. There were no reports of serious injuries and damage estimates will be assessed Friday. Damage costs should not be high, he said. Rio Grande County Undersheriff Fred McKee said seven families were evacuat- ed from their homes Sunday night "mostly as a safety precaution" in the area be- tween Monte Vista and Del Norte when the Rio Grande went over Its banks. MeKee said the river was dropping and "we're in pretty good shape today. We still have a few homes that have water around 'em but people are starting to get back into them." In Del Norte, Ortega said, "We had dam- age to city parks of about $80,000, but we have no estimate of private property dam- age." A trailer park in Del Norte :'got t~e brunt of the water here, because It was In a low-lying area," he said. Monday, an earthen -dike broke and spilled water over U.S. 285 north of Monte Vista, McKee said. A woman who volun- teered to direct traffic was bumped by a - -- car but was treated and released at a local hospital, he said. The highway is open, said Monte Vista police dispatcher Ted De- lorey. The dike break caused more lowland and meadow flooding. McKee said. Meanwhile, the National Weather Serv- ice continues its flood watch for those southern rivers until 10 a.m. Friday. The watch areas are from Del Norte south to the New Mexico border on the Rio Grande, and for the Alamosa River from Terrace Reservoir to its confluence with the Rio Grande. The Associated Press also contributed to this report. -- = <0. - - 0:, I- e..-