Flood in Greenlee County, Arizona

During the evening of September 13th, heavy rain occurred along the Campbell Blue Creek near the headwaters of the Blue River in Arizona, which was an area that was affected by the 2011 Wallow Fire. Heavy rain also fell along Turkey Creek in Arizona and the Dry Blue Creek in New Mexico. Runoff continued downstream to the confluence of the Campbell Blue and Dry Blue Creeks, which forms the Blue River. In addition, heavy rain occurred during the evening of the 14th in Arizona and New Mexico, swelling the tributaries of the Blue River upstream of the community of Blue, Arizona. Multiple crests in the Blue River two to four feet above flood stage resulted. Sections of Blue River Road were washed out, isolating residents of the community. The Campbell Blue Bridge, which is a 30 foot concrete bridge just across the state line in New Mexico, was completely washed out. Electrical and telephone lines were damaged by the flooding. A utility company truck rolled into Turkey Creek after the adjacent flood-compromised road gave way. The driver was able to escape the six foot deep flowing water without injury.

Several days in a row of monsoon thunderstorms occurred in east central Arizona and west central New Mexico. Runoff drained into the Blue, San Francisco and Gila Rivers. The San Francisco River at Clifton approached flood stage, reaching the bottom of the railroad bridge, and the Highway 191 gates were closed as a precaution, but the only flood damage that occurred was upstream along the Blue River in Greenlee County.