TheRio Grande in El Paso crested at 9.65 feet, one of the highest levels recorded at the Courchesne Bridgegauge, according to data from the National Water Prediction Service.
Heavy rainfrom the remnants of Hurricane Polocaused the Rio Grande to rise on Sept. 30, prompting a flood warning that urged people to stay away from the riverbanks.
Jason Grzywacz, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in El Paso, said the rise was striking because the riverbed had been dry.
“It could be worse if we had water in the river,” he said, adding that the overnight crest was at moderate level flooding.
"It was already dried out, so pretty impressive that it would go up this much with rain," Grzywacz said.
The Rio Grande has since begun to recede, dropping
to 9.2 feet by 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 1, Grzywacz said. Water is expected to continue a slow descent heading into Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 5-6.
The highest recorded crest of the Rio Grande in El Paso was 11.20 feet in 1903, followed by 10.50 feet in 1912. During the 2006 flooding, the river crested at 9.28 feet, according to the National Water Prediction Service.
Elephant Butte Reservoir rises, but water level remains low
Recent rain has raised the water level at Elephant Butte Reservoir nearly 7 feet, from 4,277.49 feet a week ago to 4,284.24 feet.
Despite the increase, the reservoir is still only 2.5% full.
Natassia Paloma may be reached at npaloma@gannett.com, @NatassiaPaloma on X, natassia_paloma on Instagram, and Natassia Paloma on Facebook.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Rio Grande crests near record level in El Paso after Hurricane Polo
