RiverFest, organized by the RiverReach Foundation returns for its 35th year – complete with wiener dog races, rafting, and live music and events. Rafting should be excellent this year, with the higher-than-average snowpack, but runoff concerns mean some low-lying areas of Farmington should be prepared. By Hannah Robertson. This story is sponsored by CMIT Solutions and SunRay Park and Casino
Learn More
Riverfest – https://riverfestnewmexico.com/
RiverReach Foundation – https://riverreachfoundation.com/
Transcript
Riverfest returns for its 35th year, complete with wiener dog races, rafting, and live music and events. Rafting should be excellent this year with a higher than average snow pack, but runoff concerns means some low lying areas of Farmington should be prepared. You’re watching the “Local News Roundup”, brought to you by CMIT Solutions, and Sunray Park and Casino. I’m Haley Opsal. Farmington’s 35th Riverfest, along the Animas River, returns May 26th, 27th, and 28th. The annual event held at Animas and Berg Park, is free, and open to the public. Organized by River Reach Foundation, part of the fun of River Reach is to bring people and the river together, spreading the mission of River Reach to protect, promote, and enhance the river run corridors, Activities for the weekend begin at 5:00 PM on Friday, and include the fan favorite duck race. A 10k, rafting and raft race, a recycled fashion show, children’s activities, and more. Follow River Reach for updates on events, and a full schedule. If you’ve walked around some of the parks along the Animas River, you may have noticed the presence of sandbags along the lower lying areas as the river begins to rise. Farmington officials have installed the sandbags as a precaution in vulnerable areas, as runoff from the San Juan snow pack begins. Although sandbags are not a normal part of Spring, officials are expecting a higher than usual runoff thanks to the higher than average snow pack in Southwest Colorado, thanks to a series of snow storms from January on. If the Spring weather is cool, runoff levels should remain manageable, but a spike in temperature could lend to a high rate of melting, and cause a surge in water levels, which could cause flooding in low level areas around the river. City residents concerned about flooding can help themselves to free sand, and sandbags, from the city of Farmington. It is located behind the Farmington Recreation Center. Make sure to bring your own shovel to load your sandbags. The River Reach Foundation, and other local organizations, are monitoring river levels, and will share information pertinent to ensure everyone has a safe and relatively dry Spring. Learn more about these and other stories online at farmingtonlocal.news. Thank you for watching this edition of “Local News Roundup”. I’m Haley Opsal.
