A watershed restoration project behind Los Vecinos Community Center proved its worth July 12 when an extreme rainstorm – the kind that has only a 0.2% to 0.5% chance of occurring in any given year – sent floodwaters surging down Tijeras Creek with minimal damage to the community.
The county’s Tijeras Creek Watershed Restoration Project, launched last December and about 80% to 90% complete, helped control floodwaters during the deluge when an estimated 2.5 to 3 inches of rain fell within 30 minutes across the East Mountains area. Despite the storm’s intensity, damage in Bernalillo County was limited to a single pedestrian bridge behind the community center, and no injuries were reported.
“This is an unprecedented storm, but the chances of similar events in the future are more likely as we see climate change making weather more extreme and unpredictable,” Bernalillo County Commissioner Chair Eric Olivas said during a news conference Thursday. “Thanks to the foresight of our Public Works team, the restoration project was able to do its job under extraordinary circumstances, and it helped to protect people and property in its path.”…