000
WGUS65 KABQ 231630
FFAABQ
NMC045-241700-

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM
1004 AM MDT MON MAY 23 2005

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

IN NEW MEXICO...

SAN JUAN

WARM TO HOT TEMPERATURES IN THE MOUNTAINS OF SOUTHWEST COLORADO ARE
RESULTING IN AN INCREASE IN SNOWMELT RUNOFF INTO THE ANIMAS RIVER AND
LA PLATA RIVER THROUGH SAN JUAN COUNTY NEW MEXICO. HIGH FLOWS FROM
THE ANIMAS AND LA PLATA RIVERS ARE ALSO CAUSING RISES ON THE SAN JUAN
RIVER FROM FARMINGTON THROUGH SHIPROCK TO THE FOUR CORNERS.

WATER LEVELS IN THE ANIMAS AND LA PLATA RIVERS RANGE FROM NEAR
BANKFULL TO JUST BELOW FLOOD STAGES. SLIGHT ADDITIONAL RISES ON BOTH
RIVERS ARE EXPECTED TODAY FROM THOSE EXPERIENCED SUNDAY. 

FLOOD STAGE AT THE ANIMAS RIVER GAGE NEAR THE COLORADO STATE LINE
ABOVE CEDAR HILL IS 10.5 FEET. PEAK STAGE SUNDAY REACHED 9.7 FEET
AROUND NOON. PEAK STAGE AT MID DAY TODAY WILL BE NEAR 10 FEET.

MINOR FLOODING HAS BEEN REPORTED BETWEEN THE COLORADO STATE LINE AND
AZTEC IN SAN JUAN COUNTY NEW MEXICO. MINOR FLOODING WAS ALSO REPORTED
SUNDAY IN KIRTLAND AT A RIVERSIDE PARK ALONG THE SAN JUAN RIVER.
MINOR OVERBANK FLOODING INTO FIELDS AND AGRICULTURAL LANDS IS LIKELY
TO PERSIST THROUGH AT LEAST TUESDAY MORNING.

WATER LEVELS IN THE ANIMAS RIVER ARE ABOUT WHAT WAS EXPERIENCED
IN JUNE OF 1997 WHEN OVERFLOW CONDITIONS WERE NOTED...BUT NO
SIGNIFICANT DAMAGES WERE REPORTED.

PERSONS WITH RIVERSIDE PROPERTY INTERESTS ALONG THE ANIMAS...SAN JUAN
AND LA PLATA RIVERS SHOULD MONITOR THE HIGH WATER LEVELS THROUGH AT
LEAST THE EARLY PART OF THIS WEEK.

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

$$