Days of heavy rainfall have produced flash flooding along creeks and streams across the greater Big Bend region, as local and state officials urge the public to avoid flooded roadways.
The National Weather Service office in Midland said in a forecast note that parts of the lower Trans-Pecos and Davis Mountains regions saw up to 2 inches of rain late Wednesday evening after an already days-long stretch of heavy rainfall.
Flash Flood Warnings remained in effect across much of the Big Bend region Thursday morning, from northern Pecos County to Marfa, Alpine, Fort Davis and across southern Brewster and Presidio counties.
In Big Bend National Park, flooding at the park's Rio Grande Village Campground led to campers there being evacuated and moved to campsites in the Chisos Basin, the park said in a press release Thursday evening.
"Flash floods have caused minor damage and left debris and standing water on paved park roads," the park wrote. "The park is acting to protect historic structures, such as Alvino House in the Castolon area, from floodwaters. The Hot Springs Historic District is flooded and inaccessible."
The park has closed all dirt roads and backcountry drive-in campsites until further notice, along with the road into the hot springs area, the road between the Cottonwood campground and Santa Elena Canyon and other areas.
The weather service reported “major flooding” along parts of the Rio Grande on Thursday, particularly at the Boquillas international port of entry in the national park, where data showed the river reaching a height of nearly 21 feet, well above a flood “action” stage of 10 feet.
In Presidio County, the local sheriff’s office said it had received reports of home flooding in Marfa, where high creeks had made some roads impassable. The Texas Department of Transportation’s El Paso office has reported flooded roadways in and around Presidio, Marfa, Fort Davis and Terlingua. A video the office shared Thursday morning on social media showed a raging creek in the Terlingua area covering FM 170 in south Brewster County. A low-lying underpass in Alpine was briefly submerged in floodwaters late Wednesday night.
Authorities across the region stressed the mantra of “turn around, don’t down” and warned that vehicles can be easily swept off flooded roadways.
Thursday is expected to be the last day of widespread heavy rain in the region, though forecasters said rain chances could linger into the July 4 holiday and through the weekend.
Despite the heavy rain this week and last, much of the Big Bend region remained under the highest level of drought on the U.S. Drought Monitor scale, according to the monitor’s latest report released Thursday.
This is a developing story and may be updated.
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