Doña Ana County officials have issued evacuation orders for five areas—Placitas, Hatch, Rincon, Salem, and Garfield—amid worsening flooding and an imminent risk of dam failure at McLeod Dam, according to a county alert issued on Sept. 29. Residents were urged to evacuate immediately, taking essential items such as medications, identification, and supplies for children and pets. The National Weather Service (NWS) also issued a flash flood warning for northwestern Doña Ana County, citing the potential failure of McLeod Dam as a primary concern.
Evacuation routes were directed toward Interstate-25, with shelters established at the Radium Springs Community Resource Center and Doña Ana Community Resource Center. The NWS described the situation as a life-threatening flash flood emergency, warning residents to seek higher ground immediately if they are in low-lying areas below the dam.
The flooding crisis stems from the remnants of Hurricane Polo, which made landfall in Baja California Sur on Sept. 29 with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph. As Polo weakened and moved northward, its moisture combined with Tropical Storm Rachel and a slow-moving weather system, creating a broad flood threat across the Southwest. The NWS expanded flash flood watches to 10 states, with the highest risk areas including Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas through Wednesday. Forecasts suggest nearly 80 trillion gallons of water could fall across the U.S. this week, equivalent to more than 122 million Olympic-sized swimming pools.
Road closures and water rescues were reported in Arizona and New Mexico, with Phoenix-area highways particularly affected. Schools in the Hatch Valley announced closures for Sept. 30, and emergency officials warned that flooding could persist through Wednesday night. The NWS described the situation as potentially the most dangerous flash flooding risk in New Mexico in the last five years.
Officials emphasized that residents should not delay evacuation, noting that conditions are expected to deteriorate rapidly. The McLeod Dam operator has warned of imminent failure, which could trigger catastrophic flooding in downstream communities. Evacuation centers remain operational, and authorities continue to monitor the dam’s structural integrity as weather conditions evolve.