Socorro County ramps up flood mitigation

Following deadly flash floods in parts of Texas and New Mexico, Socorro County is bolstering its emergency preparedness efforts with new and continuing flood readiness measures.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the Village of Ruidoso. The destruction caused by the flooding is unimaginable, and Socorro County is working hand-in-hand with Lincoln County,” said Socorro County Manager Andrew Lotrich.

On July 9, Lotrich said the county sent a 6,000-gallon potable water supply unit to aid the Village of Ruidoso.

Back at home, county officials are tackling a range of emergency mitigation and flood prevention projects across the region.

In March 2025, Socorro County hired Marcus De la Cruz as its new floodplain manager. De la Cruz is now responsible for overseeing construction and development in flood-prone areas to ensure structures are protected from rising waters.

To assist residents in preparing for emergencies, the county maintains a substantial supply of sandbags and a distribution process. Residents are also reminded to keep emergency alerts enabled on their phones, plan evacuation routes in advance, and stay informed of ongoing mitigation efforts.

“We are here to help you develop personal evacuation plans and learn how to protect your property,” Lotrich said.

The county is also updating its Emergency Preparedness and Hazard Mitigation Plan, with a key focus on evacuation routes. Areas targeted for route improvements include Escondida, Bosquecito Road, Veguita, La Joya, and San Antonio areas.

“These evacuation routes will protect lives in case of a fire or flood,” Lotrich said.

Although the routes aren’t new roads, Bosquecito Road is being updated to handle additional traffic flow in emergency situations. Along Bosquecito Road, maintenance efforts have been underway to clean arroyos and improve water flow.

On July 9, county officials began coordinating with local property owners on CR-91 to build a new water diversion channel on the road’s east side. Construction is expected to begin this fall or winter, with completion projected for spring 2026. This is considered the first phase of a broader plan to revamp the entire road.

In San Antonio, the county recently completed a four-phase project designed to divert floodwaters into the 4th Street/Pino Road channel. The project, which began in 2021, was prompted by flooding in 2018.

On the west side of San Antonio, the county has plans in place for a new detention pond—but the project is awaiting approval from the Bureau of Land Management. Lotrich said the approval process began in 2021, but as of last week, BLM headquarters returned the San Antonio Detention Pond Sale packet to the BLM state office for more revisions. A completion timeline remains unclear.

Meanwhile, in the Alamo community, the county has wrapped up a multi-million-dollar flood control effort known as the “Three-Tanks Project.” The project installed a new concrete culvert system in response to repeated destruction caused by runoff in the Three Tank Arroyo. A previously installed large metal culvert had been destroyed within months due to intense water flow.

The county is actively seeking funding for that larger effort through state capital outlay requests and federal appropriations, with support from Senator Martin Heinrich’s office, Lotrich said.

“The county is blessed to have a wonderful, and fully staffed emergency management department that is proactively effectuating programmatic changes,” Lotrich said.

Residents who are interested in working to “flood-proof” their homes can contact De la Cruz at (575) 835-2029.