The Rio Grande is Flooding

Mr.Wizard and I took these photos in Lajitas yesterday. Highway 170, the river road, has been closed from Lajitas to Presidio for nearly a week, and will probably be closed for that much longer.


It's been raining here, but that's not what's causing the flood. Water is being released along the Rio Concho, the major Mexican tributary of the Rio Grande. Even with water being released from the Concho's reservoirs, dams and levees have been compromised, resulting in widespread flooding along the river in Chihuahua. We got word earlier this week that Ojinaga is flooded and more than 500 homes in Presidio have been evacuated.


This is the dam at Delicias, Chihuahua, which has been releasing water for a week and will likely continue until the flooding in Mexico (above the dam) stops. Unfortunately, for us that means the water will keep coming.


Here's another view of the same dam, other side.

Damage in Lajitas has been limited to the low areas near the river, including the golf course and several buildings. We had hoped to hike up the river to get more photos, but all the low water crossings are flooded, making a short hike impossible.

Big Bend National Park is not issuing permits to float the river, and Cottonwood Campground near Santa Elena Canyon is flooded. That happens occasionally. The park has also evacuated the Rio Grande Village area near Boquillas Canyon. The campground there is flooded and the water has even reached the employee housing area, where flooding is occurring despite the sandbagging efforts of park personnel.

While surveying the situation, a small plane carrying the heads of the U.S. and Mexico's International Boundary and Water Commission and the executive director of the Rio Grande Council of Governments went down, killing all on board. My dad knew both IBWC commissioners and he had worked with them for a long time in several capacities, making it a terrible personal tragedy as well.

Looking down toward the golf course in Lajitas. The river is actually way off to the right and not in this photo; this is just part of the flooded area.

This is looking toward Paso Lajitas on the Mexican side.