Socorro County continues to see impact of intense flooding

SOCORRO, N.M. – Flooding and high water in the Rio Grande closed the Highway 380 bridge in Socorro County on Wednesday, and left evacuees unable to return home.

KOB 4 also received evacuation warnings for the Bosquecito area while crews responded to rising water.

Flooding in Escondida

“I’m very worried, I’m very worried,” said Anne Schiels.

Schiels left her home less than a mile from the Rio Grande on Tuesday. Officials evacuated homes in the Escondida area Tuesday because of high water, and Schiels said she packed up and left.

“I have never seen the river this high. I have never seen it going so hard, never and I’ve lived here 25 plus years,” said Schiels.

Socorro County Emergency Manager Fred Berger told KOB 4 homes in the Escondida area likely avoided significant structure damage, but water entered homes upstream in the San Francisco area. He said crews will assess damage after the water recedes and dry conditions return.

Berger said crews carried out a water rescue Tuesday night just south of Escondida. Berger said crews also airlifted two BNSF maintenance workers Tuesday from the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge.

“We definitely weren’t expecting the maintenance workers to be in the area,” said Berger.

Difficulty in measuring the river

Wednesday’s high water sent debris down the Rio Grande, and United States Geological Survey said the current moved so fast that crews struggled to get a measurement. Tyson Hatch with USGS said high flows forced crews to use a mechanical sensor instead of the normal acoustic version.

“This one is so milky, so muddy, we have to use our old school mechanical meters, but they work, they’re tried and true,” said Tyson Hatch.

Town hall meeting on Thursday

Socorro County scheduled a community town hall on Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Socorro Commission Chambers near Neel Avenue. The Highway 380 bridge over the Rio Grande remains closed until further notice.

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