A flash flood emergency swept through northwestern Doña Ana County after officials warned that McLeod Dam was at risk of imminent failure, prompting evacuation orders for the small communities of Salem and Garfield. Dam operators and county officials said a break could send life-threatening flooding surging through the area, and residents in low-lying zones were told to get to higher ground immediately.
The National Weather Service issued the flash flood emergency because of the risk that McLeod Dam, located on McLeod Arroyo, could fail, according to koat.com. The dam sits in northwestern Doña Ana County, and the emergency was specifically tied to a potential dam break on the arroyo below it, as reported by kob.com. Salem and Garfield, communities situated between Truth or Consequences and Hatch, both received evacuation notices as a result.
Evacuation Notice Covers Rural Stretch Along Highways 187 and 390
Doña Ana County issued the evacuation notice for Salem and Garfield, and officials strongly encouraged residents in the affected areas to leave immediately rather than wait for conditions to worsen, per cbs4local.com. The warning zone covered rural areas between Garfield and Salem, including portions of Highways 187 and 390 and stretches along the Garfield Drain and Garfield Canal, according to a bulletin logged by defconlevel.com. That warning was reported as remaining in effect until 4:45 p.m. MDT Tuesday afternoon, per the same alert.
Officials described the situation as dangerous and life-threatening, and residents below the dam in low-lying areas were urged to move to higher ground right away, per kob.com. According to KTSM 9 News, county officials said they would continue sharing updates on evacuation areas, road conditions, and available resources through the county's official social media channels and website.
Students Bused to Hatch Valley High School as Shelter Opens
Garfield Elementary School students were transported safely to Hatch Valley High School, where parents could pick them up, KTSM 9 News reported. Families forced from their homes were told they could seek shelter at a facility in Radium Springs, with the American Red Cross expected to be on site to assist evacuees.
Reports differed slightly on the shelter's exact name and address: cbs4local.com identified it as the Radium Springs Community Resource Center at 12060 Lindbeck Road, while koat.com referred to it as the Radium Springs Community Center at 12060 LB Lindbeck Road in Las Cruces. County officials advised anyone evacuating to bring essential medications, identification, important documents, necessary supplies, and items for children and pets.
Flood Watch Had Already Been Building Before the Emergency
The dam emergency followed a broader flood threat that had already been building across the region. An area-wide Flood Watch was scheduled to begin at noon Monday as showers and thunderstorms moved into the area, according to cbs4local.com, setting the stage for the rapidly escalating warning that followed hours later.
Dam-failure scares have unfolded elsewhere in the country this year with mixed outcomes. In Minnesota, the Rapidan Dam on the Blue Earth River suffered a partial failure of its western support structure after debris blockage eroded the western bank, according to newsnationnow.com; two homes downstream were evacuated there, though authorities said at the time that no mass evacuations had been ordered. In Tennessee, the Tennessee Valley Authority issued a Condition Red Warning for an imminent breach at Nolichucky Dam amid record river levels and ordered mandatory evacuations along the river in South Hamblen County, before later determining the dam was stable and secure, per wjhl.com.
As of the latest reports, it remains unclear whether McLeod Dam ultimately held or failed, or how long the evacuation notices for Salem and Garfield stayed in place. Doña Ana County officials said they would continue posting updates through the county's official channels as the situation develops.
