Avondale is watching the Arkansas River

It’s only been a couple of days since Avondale Boulevard was covered in water.

“I’ve been here for 12 years and this is the first time I’ve ever seen water over the road,” said John Jacquez.

Monday, even though the road is still blocked, the water level is down. But the threat is not over.

The Arkansas River is running very high.

The good news is that water has receded from Avondale Highway. The bad news is that more water is coming from Fountain Creek.

People in Avondale know that the rain that falls in Colorado Springs flows here.

“It sure does, and you can tell because the river gets muddy,” said Henry Bernal.

And the last time Colorado Springs saw flooding, the Arkansas River ran over its banks.

“September 2013, where heavy rain for a couple of days in El Paso County caused flooding on the Arkansas,” said Paul Wolyn of the National Weather Service.

While the weather won’t be as active over the next few days, the river takes time to fully react, so there is still a chance for more flooding.

That news produces mixed feelings in Avondale.

Bernal said, “I suppose the farmers are happy, but they’re getting to the point where it’s too much rain.”

But Jacquez disagrees, saying, “oh no, bring it on.”

But everyone agrees that the river that so many depend on can be fickle when the rains pour down.

Right now, the only area along the Arkansas that has a flood warning is near La Junta.

The Otero County Sheriff’s Office says the main threat is to agricultural land.