Ruidoso experiences record flooding, leaving 3 dead

On July 8, Ruidoso experienced record flash flooding, with the Rio Ruidoso reaching a depth of 20.24 feet in 30 minutes, according to National Weather Service Albuquerque Meteorologist Michael Anand.

Three people, including two children, died as a result of being caught in the floodwaters and carried downstream, according to the Village of Ruidoso.

This year’s peak river depth is five feet higher than the previous record of 15.86 feet, set in 2024, which was three feet higher than the previous record of 12 feet, set in 2008, Anand said.

At 2:15 p.m. on July 8, NWS Albuquerque sent a Wireless Emergency Alert with a flash flood warning to cellphones in the Ruidoso area. The warning was upgraded to a flash flood emergency at 2:47 p.m., stating that it was a “particularly dangerous situation,” when the Rio Ruidoso rose from 1.5 feet to 6 feet. By 3:55 p.m., the river rose to over 20 feet deep, according to the Associated Press.

Rainfall landing on the burn scars of the South Fork, Salt and Blue 2 fires exacerbated the flooding, Anand said.

“That 1 to 3.5 inches on the South Fork burn scar ran off into the Rio Ruidoso, resulted in debris flow in the Rio Ruidoso, and that went through the river, through town and down into Ruidoso Downs,” Anand said.

The second year of a burn scar is often the most catastrophic in terms of flash flood impacts, and this flood event was the “worst case scenario,” because 1.5 to 3 inches of rain fell near the streams, creeks and tributaries on and along the burn scars, Anand said.

“The first year loosens up all that downed trees and debris, and so in the second year, everything is loosened up, and the additional rainfall just runs it off,” Anand said.

Arnold Duke, the owner of Ruidoso Trading Post, lost multiple boxes of turquoise jewelry after his store was flooded on July 8. Duke has been living in Ruidoso for 50 years, he said.

“I would hate to see this beautiful paradise become a ghost town. But I have several personal friends that told me ‘I can't do this anymore,’” Duke said.

Duke said that the merchants in Midtown Ruidoso rely on a horse racing event where they make most of their money in three months. The race track has been flooded twice, leaving business owners like Duke worried.

Duke wished the government would be more involved in helping Ruidoso, he said.

“If they don't get fast-growing plants up on those mountains to slow the water down, this is going to continue to happen,” Duke said. “I just don't know what the state engineers and the governor have planned, but I know we definitely need help here, and we definitely need a plan.”

On July 10, the state of New Mexico received partial approval for a federal emergency declaration, which provided federal personnel to aid with rescue and recovery efforts while awaiting to secure financial assistance, according to an Office of the Governor press release.

Anand said that if the land and vegetation are allowed to grow back through more mitigation efforts, the impacts of the burn scars will eventually become less severe.

“It takes a lot of time,” Anand said. “For example, the Hermits Peak Calf Canyon burn scar northwest of Las Vegas, that fire happened in 2022, and we're still seeing some severe impacts from that burn scar three to four years later.”

In the flood’s aftermath, Duke said the community stepped up. He said 75 people, most of whom were strangers to him, helped him dig his jewelry out of the mud, and that churches provided free food.

“The people from Ruidoso are strong people. They're really strong people, but emotionally, it's been difficult for everyone. I mean, we're a tight-knit community that cares and loves each other, but people are stretched thin.” Duke said.

Leila Chapa is the social media editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at socialmedia@dailylobo.com or on X @lchapa06

Paloma Chapa is the multimedia editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at multimedia@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @paloma_chapa8

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