Clint, Socorro residents frustrated by continued flooding
Residents in the Lower Valley are spending hours cleaning their homes, and clearing out water after Tuesday’s early-morning flood emergency.
“It was pretty bad,” Socorro resident Blanca Garcia said. “It is frustrating. We’ve lived out here for almost 28 years. It’s nothing new. It’s nothing new.”
Socorro, Sparks, Clint, San Elizario and far southeast El Paso County were listed as areas with the highest potential for weather-related damage.
The NWS advised residents to move to higher ground, and exercise extreme caution.
Clint farmer Jorge Venegas said he took matters into his own hands, after flooding from two weeks ago filled his farm with mud and sand.
He, along with other farmers on Mankato Road, raised mounds of dirt of almost 15-feet to stop a nearby creek from overflowing.
“We don’t want the rain coming down as it did two weeks ago, and just flood us again,” Venegas said. “That’s why we fixed it, because we don’t want that problem for sand to start coming onto our property again.”
Venegas said he and his neighbors received very little help from the County of El Paso.
“The county didn’t help us at all fixing the creek,” Venegas said.
County Commissioner Vince Perez, who represents the areas hardest hit by last night’s rain, was out in the area last night helping residents last night. He said he understands that residents are frustrated.
Socorro mayor pro-tem Rene Rodriguez tell ABC-7 the city is looking for long-term solutions to help out the families.
Rodriguez said some of the families have been receptive to relocating. The city could potentially use eminent domain to claim the land. Meanwhile, the city would apply for grants to build new homes for those who are relocated.
“The homeowners are tired that every monsoon season this is something occurring so frequently now,” Rodriguez said. “It’s just something that they’re getting tired of.”
Rodriguez tells ABC-7 Socorro has an annual budget of $9 million, and 10-percent of that is allocated for weather emergencies. He said the city has spent nearly $100,000 on costs associated with the flooding.
