Flooding and sinkhole fears have emerged in El Paso’s Lower Valley amid this week’s storms.
Flooding and Sinkhole Fears in the Lower Valley
KFOX14 reported that El Paso Water had been sought for comment amid Lower Valley flooding and sinkhole fears.
El Paso Fire Department responded to dozens of storm-related calls on September 22 and 23. Tuesday's 66 emergency calls were concentrated on the West side before the trouble shifted Wednesday primarily to the Lower Valley and East side, where crews handled residential flooding, stranded vehicles, and roadway debris, according to KVIA.
A Pattern of Ground Failures Across the Metro
Paz's backyard is not an isolated case. The same storm cycle triggered a sinkhole near El Paso High School at Brown Street and Murchison Drive, plus a large sinkhole near Horizon Boulevard in Socorro that exposed underground gas pipelines, as Hoodline previously reported. Heavy rain also opened a massive hole along Scenic Drive in the Franklin Mountains, forcing police and city officials to shut the mountain roadway down indefinitely on September 23.
Where Residents Should Report Damage
City officials have drawn a clear line on who handles what: general street hazards should go to 311, but drainage failures and stormwater damage must be reported directly to El Paso Water at 915-594-5500, option 6, staffed from 7 a.m. to midnight, or through an online form after hours, per KVIA's report. That distinction matters for residents like Paz trying to figure out whether their backyard collapse falls under city or utility jurisdiction.
El Paso Water also ran a free seasonal sandbag distribution from September 22 through Saturday across three regional locations, including Blackie Chesher Park in the Lower Valley's Mission Valley area, offering up to 10 sandbags per residential customer, according to KTEM NewsRadio 14.
A Utility Still Playing Catch-Up
The flooding comes 20 years after severe flooding in El Paso in 2006. The long-term stormwater master plan is about half complete, with an estimated total cost of $875 million and completion potentially taking more than 20 years. A major project in Northeast El Paso is Will Ruth Pond.
