The search for a missing Grand Junction mom in the Gunnison River continues today, despite muddy storm runoff that is blinding divers.

"Chocolate milk is how they describe the river," said Norma Mestas, spokeswoman for the Mesa County Sheriff's Office.

Recent rains have boosted the river level 18 inches and made water murky as 35 searchers scour the Gunnison south of Grand Junction for signs of Paige Birgfeld.

The 34-year-old mother of three, who was running an escort service that she kept secret from her family, vanished June 28.

Four days after her disappearance following a day trip to Eagle, her burned-out car was found on the outskirts of Grand Junction. Authorities suspect foul play.

The search has moved north from sections the divers scoured yesterday, proceeding up an 11.5-mile stretch of the Gunnison between Bridgeport Road off U.S. 50 and the town of Whitewater, Mestas said.

The searchers, including members of the Metro Dive Team and volunteer water rescue divers, are taking solo turns in the water, she said. The plan is to search until about 4 p.m., then call off the search if nothing promising is found.

The river ranges in depth from 4 feet to 13 feet and varies in temperature from 50 degrees to 70 degrees, Mestas said.

Five members of the Metro Dive Team have been unable to use an underwater camera or a side-scanning sonar because of river conditions, said Andy Lyon, a spokesman for South Metro Fire Rescue.

"The water is muddy. Down at 16 feet, where they're working, it's so dark they can't see anything," said Lyon, whose agency participates in the dive team along with other metro water rescue squads.

"They're basically feeling their way along," he added.

On Wednesday, searchers spent three hours draining a wastewater pond and wading through the shallow muck, Mestas said. But the effort proved fruitless.

Information developed by sheriff's investigators spurred the search of the pond at a septic facility north of U.S. 50 near Bridgeport Road, she said.

Dog teams searched the river area of U.S. 50 over the weekend, prompting additional efforts Wednesday and today, Mestas said.

The river-search area is just a few miles south of where Birgfeld's checks, a check register and other belongings were found along the highway south of Whitewater last month.

gathrighta@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5486