Flood — Imperial, California

2024-01-22 to 2024-01-23 · near Calexico Intl Arpt, Imperial, California

Event narrative

The New River USGS Gauge at the International Border in Calexico reported water levels peaking to 15.6 feet, which is just above minor flood stage. The rise to minor flood stage was generally gradual as water levels rose at a rate of 1 feet per hour according to the gauge data. The rising water levels caused damage to an improvement project being performed at the New River in Calexico with water overtopping the sheet piles. About 10 feet of standing water was estimated inside the sheet piles. This water overtopping caused a generator controlling the dewatering to flood and shutdown. The city of Calexico declared an emergency due to the damages that the high water levels caused to the project. According to an interview performed with a city councilmember approximately two weeks after the incident, the damage cost estimate was at around 4 million dollars. No injuries were reported.

Wider weather episode

A shortwave trough moving across the Desert Southwest combined with well-above normal moisture, with precipitable water values peak at 1.0-1.2, resulted in a large swath of rain with embedded thunderstorms moving across portions of southeast CA during the late morning and afternoon hours on the 22nd. Rainfall rates ranged between 0.10-0.50 according to doppler radar estimates, resulting in total amounts of between 0.5-1.25 within a period of three hours. The rainfall was enough to result in areas of flooding , causing several road closures. High water levels along the New River in Calexico caused damage to an Improvement Project that was being performed along the river itself. A state of emergency was declared for both the city of El Centro and Calexico according to the Imperial County Emergency Manager.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (32.6684, -115.5071)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1158001. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.