Communities in southwestern Colorado and the Four Corners region that faced devastating floods this week will get a break Monday from the storm system that forced evacuations and damaged homes. Gov. Jared Polis declared a disaster emergency for 12 counties due to flooding in much of southern Colorado. The floods have caused helicopter rescues, destroyed bridges and closed roads while rain has continued to fall since Wednesday. Southwestern Colorado had received about 3 to 7 inches of rain, according to the NWS office in Grand Junction, which monitors conditions across the Western Slope. All of that rain flows downhill into the San Juan River, which drains rivers and streams in southwestern Colorado into the Colorado River. … Meteorologists expect to see the river to peak at about 29.5 feet early Monday morning

Other storm and flood news around the West:

• Grist: California has a plan for El Niño’s torrential rain: Save it for later
• KVPR (Fresno, Calif.): Why some water experts in the middle of California are welcoming strong El Niño storms this year
• The Guardian: US south-west braces for more storms after enduring days of rain and flooding
• The Salt Lake Tribune: Heavy rain in southeast Utah has prompted a rise in Lake Powell’s water level. Here’s how much.
• NPR: Flooding in Four Corners region displaces residents, as storms move southeast
• The Salt Lake Tribune: Watch: Flash floods rip through southern Utah
• Arizona’s Family (Phoenix): Four Corners stays closed amid historic flooding on Navajo Nation
• The Land Desk: Blog: Rain and floods and tornadoes, oh my!
• The Levee Was Dry (DowneyBrand): Blog: Built to hold vs. built to respond: What the Dutch and Americans can learn from each other