Farmington, New Mexico: Flooding Forces Evacuations Across San Juan County as Rivers Rise Well Above Flood Stage

Flooding on the San Juan and Animas rivers forced evacuations across San Juan County on Friday, October 23, and closed schools in Farmington, Bloomfield and Aztec. Officials said no deaths had been reported by Friday afternoon, and Farmington Police Chief Steve Hebbe called it a once in a generation event at a Friday press conference.

Heavy rain fell on mountain snow on Thursday and the runoff pushed both rivers up fast. The San Juan River at Farmington reached 13.2 feet at 10 a.m. Mountain time on Friday, well above its 8.5 foot flood stage, and forecasters expected a crest near 14 feet on Friday afternoon, with the river staying above flood stage into Saturday.

Evacuations and a shelter at McGee Park

About 600 households in Farmington were told to evacuate, city spokesperson Gina Intoppa told The Associated Press. San Juan County listed evacuated areas including Wildhorse Valley, Lee Acres, parts of Bloomfield near South Church and Calle Del Rio, County Road 2620 and other roads along the Animas, and in Farmington the Rancho de Animas area, Pryor Lane and homes along either river. Evacuees were sent to McGee Park, where pets and recreational vehicles are welcome. Farmington, Bloomfield and Aztec schools and San Juan College all closed on Friday. Road closures were, in the words of police quoted by the Tri-City Record, too many to mention.

Rescues by boat, helicopter and amphibious vehicle

The National Weather Service estimated that as many as 1,500 homes and buildings had been affected and that about 60 water rescues had taken place since Thursday afternoon. County spokesperson Devin Neeley said New Mexico Guard crews were using boats, helicopters and amphibious vehicles to reach people in homes holding several feet of water and people on rooftops. "This is a once in a generation time. This is singular and this is real," Hebbe said. "So far, we have not had any deaths, but this is not anything that should be played with."

A wastewater washout puts sewage in the river

The flooding washed out part of the Bloomfield wastewater treatment plant into the San Juan River, sending raw sewage into the floodwater. Neeley called the river a hazmat situation and told residents not to touch the water. Bloomfield asked residents and businesses to use as little water as possible, postponing laundry and dishwashers and keeping showers brief. Bloomfield Mayor John Mohler said it was the highest water he had seen in a long time. Farmington's wastewater plant was being watched and still had a buffer of about 6 feet. Valves to Farmington Lake were closed on Thursday night, and Intoppa said the lake was 89.14 percent full and not in danger of flooding.

What officials expect next

Rain on Friday was expected to be much lighter, but runoff was still converging into the rivers and levels were still rising in places. The county emergency management office warned that more areas could flood and told residents not to wait if they saw rising water. Officials urged everyone to stay home unless travel was necessary and to never drive through flooded roads.