Monsoon flooding causes damage, Rio San Jose flowing stronger
CIBOLA COUNTY, N.M. – Another week of summer monsoon weather brought both benefits and challenges across Cibola County. Heavy thunderstorms at the beginning of the reporting period produced localized flooding, flash flood warnings and hazardous travel conditions, while cooler, wetter conditions helped provide additional moisture to the landscape. By the end of the week, however, hotter and drier weather had returned, reminding residents that despite recent rainfall, long-term drought remains firmly in place.
Bluewater Lake
According to provisional U.S. Geological Survey data, Bluewater Lake measured 7,365.06 feet on Aug. 4, down slightly from 7,365.19 feet one week earlier.
Although the lake continues its seasonal decline, the rate of decline has slowed noticeably compared with the spring months as monsoon rainfall has reached portions of the watershed.
Rio San Jose
The Rio San Jose at Acoma Pueblo measured 1.92 feet on Aug. 4, according to provisional USGS data, up from 1.90 feet one week earlier.
The increase follows several weeks of monsoon rainfall across western Cibola County and suggests runoff from recent storms is continuing to provide modest benefits to streamflow. Precipitation across Cibola
According to Drought.gov, average daytime high temperatures during the week generally ranged from the mid-80s to low 90s across much of Cibola County.
The National Oceanic and Atmopsheric Agency’s temperature anomaly map shows those highs were also about 4 to 6 degrees warmer than normal for late July in much of the county, meaning the landscape continued losing moisture quickly whenever storms were absent.
Despite the warmth, rainfall remained one of the week's biggest stories.
The US Drought Monitor’s seven-day precipitation map shows much of Cibola County receiving between onehalf inch and around two inches of rainfall, with isolated locations likely receiving even higher totals beneath stronger thunderstorms.
Those storms prompted a series of National Weather Service warnings throughout the week.
On July 28, flash flooding threatened portions of the Ramah and Pine Hill area as slowmoving severe thunderstorms produced heavy rainfall, hail and damaging winds. Severe Thunderstorm Warnings were also issued for eastern Cibola County, including Laguna, Mesita and Paraje, while community members reported flooding in the Mountain View area after intense downpours.
Additional rainfall also prompted public safety messages from the Pueblo of Zuni, where officials urged residents to stay out of standing water and away from riverbeds because floodwaters could contain sewage, debris and other contaminants. The Pueblo of Acoma orchestrated a recovery drive for the Pueblo of Zuni at Sky City Casino over the weekend to help repair and recover from the damages.
The National Weather Service's seven-day precipitation forecast continues to favor additional monsoon activity.
Most of Cibola County is forecast to receive around one-quarter to one-half inch of precipitation, with locally heavier amounts possible beneath stronger thunderstorms.
The 30-day precipitation map continues to paint an encouraging picture compared with earlier this year. Much of western Cibola County now shows near-normal to above-normal precipitation over the past month, reflecting the sustained monsoon pattern that has developed across the region.
Even so, the broader drought picture has changed little.
The latest U.S. Drought Monitor still classifies 100 percent of Cibola County in drought, with 95.37 percent in Extreme Drought (D3) and the remaining 4.63 percent in Severe Drought (D2). Recent rainfall has improved short-term moisture conditions and increased streamflow in some areas, but it has not yet erased the longer-term water deficits that developed through the winter and spring.
This week's monitoring illustrates both sides of New Mexico's monsoon season. Repeated thunderstorms have delivered meaningful rainfall, supported streamflow and temporarily eased fire danger in some locations. At the same time, those same storms have produced flash flooding, washed-out roads and dangerous travel conditions.
As August begins, continued monsoon activity will remain critical for slowing reservoir declines, supporting rivers and helping the county gradually recover from drought.
Water data courtesy of the United States Geological Survey. Temperature, precipitation and drought information courtesy of Drought.gov, the National Weather Service, the U.S. Drought Monitor, the Climate Prediction Center and the New Mexico Environment Department.