Rio Grande recedes, Presidio/Ojinaga crossing reopens

Although the Rio Grande has dropped considerably at Presidio-Ojinaga and Presidio City is no longer in immediate danger from flooding, the river is projected to continue flowing at flood levels, while water releases from the Luis Leon reservoir in Mexico will continue as well.

The Presidio Port of Entry was reopened to vehicular and pedestrian traffic late Sunday morning. However, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials say commercial traffic is not allowed to cross from Presidio to Ojinaga because of flooding damage at Mexico’s customs facility in Ojinaga.

Traffic was reported to be flowing well on Monday, with maximum crossing times of 15 minutes. Information on crossing times is updated hourly at this website: http://apps.cbp.gov/bwt/.

“The water is receding. Ojinaga is still in bad shape though,” said Cynthia Clark, Presidio City administrator. “The levee at their port of entry is entirely washed away; the Mexican customs office was completely under water.”

Two or three homes near the river at Presidio have been flooded and the residents had to relocate. The Loma Paloma Golf Course and fields of crops have are still submerged as well.

“The mood here in Presidio is pretty upbeat. Business is bad because the bridge is closed, but were going on with our lives,” Clark said.

The International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) is still maintaining a presence in Presidio.

“We’re going to have a 24-hour-a-day presence until the flood conditions have subsided,” explained Sally Spener, public affairs officer for the IBWC.

The IBWC, which traces its roots back to 1848’s Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, is an international commission dedicated to applying water and boundary treaties and resolving any disputes that arise.

Spener was asked if water releases from the Luis Leon reservoir make this a “man-made disaster,” as some local officials have stated.

“That’s a common misconception,” she said. “People say, ‘Hey, Mexico, turn off the water!’ but this is a complex system of flood control that has had to face extensive rains in both Mexico and West Texas. Those releases from Luis Leon were made to keep the integrity of the dam intact. Trust me, if the dam breaks on the reservoir, it will spell an even worse flood for the Rio Grande area. Also, Chihuahua has had flooding through August and September; if the dam and reservoir system had not been retaining water, we could have seen rapid and immediate flooding of Presidio/Ojinaga even earlier.”

Spener also talked about how the IBWC will move forward.

“We’re going to do a lot of fortification on the Presidio levees. There was nearly a breach of a levee near Presidio’s downtown. Congress has approved funding for this project and we’re ready to start work.”

The IBWC expects long-reaching effects from the increased flow of the Rio Conchos and Rio Grande. Levels at the Amistad International Dam and Reservoir in Val Verde County are projected to be above conservation capacity, causing possible flooding of Vega Verde Road.

“We fought alongside local, state and federal officials day and night to save Presidio from flooding,” Spener said. “Our commissioners gave their lives for this cause. The people down there sandbagging at the levee know how hard we fought and how dedicated we are to this.”

A memorial service for IBWC Commissioner Carlos Marin will be held Oct. 10 at the Chamizal National Memorial in El Paso. Marin died in a plane crash while inspecting flood conditions; also killed were Jake Brisbin Jr., executive director of the Rio Grande Council of Governments; Mexico’s commissioner on the IBWC; and the pilot.

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Rio Grande recedes, Presidio/Ojinaga crossing reopens

Although the Rio Grande has dropped considerably at Presidio-Ojinaga and Presidio City is no longer in immediate danger from flooding, the river is projected to continue flowing at flood levels, while water releases from the Luis Leon reservoir in Mexico will continue as well.

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