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The Four Corners region is known for dry washes and wide desert skies. This week, parts of it looked more like open water. Heavy rain beginning on a Wednesday caused extensive flooding and forced hundreds of water rescues across Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah.
New Mexico has taken a particularly heavy hit. Damage figures are still being sorted out, and the numbers below reflect early estimates rather than final tallies.
A storm system with an unusual source
NPR links the rainstorms to a very active El Niño-driven Pacific hurricane season. The rain then fell on a region that rarely sees this much water at once.
Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Arizona all saw substantial flooding, and damage assessments are only beginning to arrive from cities, towns and remote territory. NBC News describes the event as the latest in a deadly autumn of soaking rains in the Southwest.
The governor’s damage estimate
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has said the cost in New Mexico could be between 200 and 300 million dollars. She said infrastructure damage alone could run to hundreds of millions of dollars.
The figure is a projection, not a final accounting. The total will depend on how much damage is identified in coming days and what it takes to restore roads, bridges and other public infrastructure.
San Juan County at the center
San Juan County, especially the stretch between Bloomfield and Farmington, has borne the brunt of the flooding. The National Weather Service says roughly 1,500 homes in that area suffered some damage, and swiftwater crews carried out at least 60 rescues.
Early state estimates are larger. As many as 18,000 homes in San Juan County alone may have sustained flood damage, according to a letter from New Mexico’s congressional delegation to the president. Officials have cautioned that full estimates aren’t possible until the water recedes.
Why Farmington flooded despite the reservoir
About 46,000 people live in Farmington, long a center for coal, oil and natural gas production. The Navajo Reservoir upstream was able to mostly contain the water rushing down from the mountains.
The trouble came from elsewhere. Downstream of the reservoir, surges into the city came from two normally dry tributaries, Gobernador Canyon and Cañon Largo. A county spokesperson called the event a catastrophic flood of historic proportions.
Rescues and lives lost
Between 200 and 300 people in San Juan County were rescued over a few days, according to a county spokesperson. Hundreds of homes along the San Juan and Animas rivers remained evacuated or cut off by flooded roads.
At least two deaths were reported in New Mexico. One woman was swept away while trying to cross a flooded arroyo in a vehicle in Santa Fe, authorities said.
Roads, bridges and utilities
Roads have been washed out, bridges and other infrastructure need repairs, and some communities have lost power or been cut off by rising water. In Colorado, responders also had to assess damaged bridges.
Hazards remain even as water drops. Downed power lines and leaking gas lines are among the dangers that persist. Many homes were still without power while officials judged when residents could safely return.
Environmental cleanup costs
The governor has stressed costs that are easy to overlook. She said the environmental, road and infrastructure issues are expensive, and described them as very hidden costs.
That concern shaped the state’s aid request. Lujan Grisham asked for a federal emergency declaration in San Juan County and surrounding areas to secure 13.8 million dollars for relief, plus millions more for environmental remediation.
Impact on the Navajo Nation
Damage spread onto the vast Navajo Nation, which spans parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. Photos from Shiprock showed flooded roads near the Northern Edge Navajo Casino.
Navajo Nation communities were ordered to evacuate over potential flooding. The area’s remoteness can make assessments and repairs slower.
Federal and state aid
Lujan Grisham announced that President Donald Trump had approved a federal disaster declaration covering many northern New Mexico counties and pueblos. She said she was still waiting for details on its scope.
Another report described the federal emergency declaration as only partially granted. The governor also signed executive orders making 8.25 million dollars more in state funding available for flood response.
Response costs and the forecast
State officials estimated emergency response costs had reached at least 4.5 million dollars, with another 13.7 million expected through Tuesday.
Weather remains a risk. The National Weather Service warns that more precipitation could trigger renewed flooding where the ground is still saturated. Forecasts called for more rain on Friday night and Sunday after a few dry days.
