Continued Flooding Worries Local Business Owners

EL PASO, TX. — The major storms first hit over a month ago, but many businesses throughout the El Paso area are still affected by flooding. Some owners are keeping a constant watch of the weather as they work to keep the water out of their shops and warehouses.

One location heavily damaged by this year’s excessively productive monsoon is a group of warehouses on McCutcheon Drive in the Upper Valley.

Annie Leutze, the owner of Anniemo’s, a home decorating shop, arrived at her warehouse well before dawn on Sunday. Heavy rains had been pummeling the area overnight, and Leutze said she was determined to keep any seeping water from damaging more of her merchandise. She enlisted her husband to help in the effort.

The last time the water came inside the warehouse, earlier in August, around $50,000 worth of merchandise was destroyed, Leutze said.

Leutze said flooding will continue to be a problem until maintenance is done to the reservoir that is located behind these businesses.

“The resevoir is at full capacity, Leutze said. “If it rains an inch, the water overflows and floods this street again,” she said.