Dam Breach Adds to Dangerous Southwest Flooding Emergency, Evacuations Underway
Floodwaters breached a 20-foot earthen dam in southern New Mexico Tuesday, sending water surging into the community of Garfield and triggering emergency evacuations as tropical moisture from Hurricane Polo and two other weather systems fuels dangerous flooding across the Southwest.
Dam Breach Forces Evacuations in New Mexico
The National Weather Service issued a flash flood emergency Tuesday afternoon after dam operators and county officials reported the imminent failure of McLeod Dam. "At 2:01 PM MDT, dam operators and county officials reported the imminent failure of McLeod Dam," the NWS warning stated. Video captured floodwaters breaching the dam's 20-foot wall and pouring into Garfield, marking a sharp escalation of an emergency that had already prompted evacuations near the dam.
People in areas between Garfield and Salem were told to reach higher ground immediately. Those evacuation orders, along with ones for Hatch and Placitas, were lifted Tuesday night, though evacuations remained in effect for Rincon as of Wednesday morning.
In Ruidoso, New Mexico, officials issued a voluntary evacuation notice for residents in Upper Canyon beyond Main and Fox roads due to landslide risk, with a shelter open at Gateway Church. Farther west in Deming, multiple vehicles became trapped Tuesday as widespread flooding closed roads, with firefighters helping push at least one stalled vehicle out of the floodwater.
Water Rescues Reported Across Arizona and Nevada
Hurricane Polo made its second landfall in Mexico on Tuesday, and deep tropical moisture connected to the storm streamed northward into the U.S., bringing flash flooding to parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada as roads filled with fast-moving water.
In Henderson, Nevada, firefighters pulled one person to safety Monday after a vehicle became stranded in about 2 feet of water near Paradise Hills Drive and Interstate 11. Flooding also created hazardous travel conditions in Laughlin, Nevada, where swift-moving runoff pushed debris onto roadways. In Arizona's Maricopa County, a man was rescued by helicopter Tuesday after his truck overturned in floodwater, leaving him stranded on top of the vehicle.
A Three-Pronged Flood Threat Continues Through Friday
Meteorologists say the flooding stems from a larger weather setup combining leftover moisture from former Hurricane Odalys, moisture streaming north from Polo, and a separate storm system moving in from the West. "In some places, especially in New Mexico, this may be the most dangerous flash flooding risk in the last five years or more," AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter said.
Rain and thunderstorms are expected to continue across parts of the Southwest, South Central states and Plains through Friday. Some areas could see 4 to 8 inches of rain, with locally higher totals possible where storms repeatedly track over the same areas or terrain enhances rainfall, with an isolated maximum of 18 inches possible.
What's Next
Evacuations remain in effect for Rincon, New Mexico, as officials continue monitoring conditions at McLeod Dam and other flood-prone areas across the region. With more than a dozen states potentially affected by the ongoing three-pronged flood threat, residents across the Southwest, South Central states and Plains should stay alert for flash flooding through the end of the week.
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