Flood — Sangre De Cristo Mountains, New Mexico

2005-05-23 to 2005-05-26 · Sangre De Cristo Mountains, New Mexico

Wider weather episode

Some of the highest water levels in years were recorded on northern New Mexico streams and rivers as near record temperatures sent a wave of snow melt runoff into the watersheds of the upper Rio Grande and Pecos Rivers while heavy snowmelt from Colorado filled the Animas River at Farmington. This season's heavier snow cover had many streams running at their best water levels since about 1999. Even with a sudden increase in snow melt runoff as temperatures rose during mid May, most streams saw only bank full conditions or just minor localized water problems. Cabresto Creek northeast of Questa was the focus of flooding worries for several days as heavy runoff filled Lake Cabresto and uncontrolled releases over the spillway caused bank and road damage downstream to near Questa. Bank erosion and damage to irrigation ditches and acequas was reported along the Animas River also. A young woman from Santa Fe apparently drowned in the swift waters of the bank full Pecos River after her vehicle somehow plunged into the river. River rafting was exciting along the Rio Grande between Taos and Embudo but was marred by one drowning (indirect) when rafts flipped.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5446324. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.