000
WGUS65 KABQ 211747
FFAABQ
NMC045-230530-

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM
1144 AM MDT SAT MAY 21 2005

...THE FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 AM MDT TUESDAY
MORNING. THE WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...

IN NEW MEXICO...

SAN JUAN


THE CONTINUED WARM TO HOT TEMPERATURES OVER THE MOUNTAINS OF
SOUTHWEST COLORADO ARE RESULTING IN AN INCREASE IN SNOWMELT RUNOFF
INTO THE ANIMAS RIVER AND LA PLATA RIVER THAT FLOW INTO NORTHWEST NEW
MEXICO. AS THE SNOW IN THE SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS OF SOUTHWEST COLORADO
CONTINUES TO MELT...WATER LEVELS IN THE ANIMAS RIVER AND LA PLATA
RIVER WILL RISE TO NEAR BANK FULL CONDITIONS SUNDAY. FURTHER RISES
COULD CAUSE THE ANIMAS RIVER IN SAN JUAN COUNTY NEW MEXICO TO
OVERFLOW ALONG LOW SPOTS AND ALSO RESULT IN BANK EROSION DUE TO THE
UNUSUALLY FAST FLOW OF HIGH WATER. WATER LEVELS IN THE ANIMAS RIVER
WILL LIKELY REACH LEVELS NOT SEEN SINCE JUNE OF 1997 WHEN MINOR
OVERFLOW CONDITIONS WERE NOTED...BUT NO SIGNIFICANT DAMAGES WERE
REPORTED.

HIGH WATER EXPECTED IN THE ANIMAS AND LA PLATA RIVERS WILL CONTINUE
TO CAUSE SLOW STEADY RISES IN THE SAN JUAN RIVER FROM FARMINGTON
DOWNSTREAM TO THE FOUR CORNERS AREA. BANKFULL STAGE OF 8 FEET HAS
BEEN EXCEEDED ALONG THE SAN JUAN RIVER AT FARMINGTON. BANKFULL STAGE
SHOULD BE MAINTAINED THE NEXT FEW DAYS WITH MINOR FLUCTUATIONS.

PERSONS WITH RIVERSIDE PROPERTY INTERESTS ALONG THE ANIMAS...SAN JUAN
AND LA PLATA RIVERS SHOULD BE AWARE OF RISING WATER LEVELS THROUGH
THIS WEEKEND AND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK.

A FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT FLOODING IS POSSIBLE BUT NOT IMMINENT IN THE
WATCH AREA.

$$

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