Mudslide closes Colorado mountain highway for 8 hours

Both directions of traffic on State Highway 82 near Carbondale were closed Sunday morning due to a mudslide. 

The slide was caused by a broken irrigation line, according to a Cardondale Fire Protection District's social media post. The mud traveled about 300 feet downhill near the highway's intersection with Catherine Store Road and Garfield County Road 100, located approximately mid-way between Carbondale and El Jebel.

The slide covered all lanes of traffic. One photo from the fire department's post showed a passenger vehicle, most likely a minivan, stalled in the middle of the slide's debris field.

There were no reports of injuries, and the highway was re-opened after 4 p.m., about eight hours after it was closed. 

During the closure, traffic was diverted around the closure through downtown Carbondale along County Road 100, Main Street and County Road 106. 

The hill above the slide is a man-made berm for a farm field, according to a fire department employee.