Flooding closes Rifle Mountain Park, city reports

City of Rifle/Courtesy
Rifle Mountain Park is closed due to flooding, the city announced Thursday afternoon.
“County Road 217 is shut down at the end of State Highway 325 just past the Rifle Falls Fish Hatchery. No one will be allowed past that point,” the city said in a news release. “Snowmelt, combined with heavy localized downpours of rain, has resulted in extensive ponding on roadways, campsites and other low-lying areas.”
Rifle Creek, which runs through the park, is overflowing its banks and running extremely fast, the city said. These conditions are expected to worsen as more precipitation is anticipated for the area.
City officials advise the public not to enter the park until it has been deemed safe and officially reopened. For updates, go to the official City of Rifle website, http://www.rifleco.org or visit the City of Rifle Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

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