Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-04-27

|
The lowlands of Sandoval count,
are threatened with inundation as tn,
result of the rising of the Rio Grand,
| caused by the rapid melting of snow
on the mountains drained by its uppe
reaches. s-
1t was reported last night that tn,
river had reached the Santa Fe track:
near Sandia, but the high water di,
not interfere with the operation O
trains. Trains from the north were
arriving here on time. and no warn.
ing was received to hold eastbOunt
trains. ...
County Surveyor Edmond Ross
stated that the report was no cause
for alarm here The river banks are
low near Sandia and, he said, the
stream would overflow at that pont
long before it reached the top of tue
protective works in BernalillO county
There was a report that part Of the
Alameda bridge, in Bernalillo county
has been washed out, but county off
Gals were without any information as
to that and it appeared that the re-
port was baseless.
letter from Nathan Bibo at Ber-
nalillo said that the Indians at Santa
Ana were working Friday to save
their lands from submergence He
indicated that there was fear of mum
dation at Bernalillo, saying that the
residents of the county seat intended
to turn out Saturday to build levees,
and that meeting of the county
commissioners had been called on ac-
count of the dangerous outlook.
Mr. Bibo foreCasted that continn-
ance of warm weather would send tho
river to the highest mark reached
since he has been in New Mexico. He
has been here fifty-two years.
1t was hoped that the local drop n
t. mperature extended northward co
the Rio Grande's headwaters, The
cool wave would check the rapid thaw
which has been the cause of the high
water. The change in Temperatures,
was accompanied by rain and its ef-
feet on the flood S tuation was prob
lematical. Whether the precipitation
was likely to offset the effect of the
low thermometer depended upon how
extensive it was.
The river reached the stage of 3
feet above the low water level at the
Parelas bridge Saturday. 1t was 1,
trlfle lower then than it was several
daNs ago. The water rose four inches
from the time Cf the first observation
llrtil IL O'Clock in the morning. Later
figures were not obtainaMe. but it was
SAID that a fluCtuation of six inches
would not he unusual,
County Surveyor Ross said that tha
rise would have to go two feet higher
before BernaliIlo county would he in
any danger of damage by inundation
and he did not expect it to go more
than a foot higher at its crest. His
estimate was based on data as to the
snowfall in the upper Rio Grande and
tributary valleys.
The surveyor made an inspection
of the countv's bikes Saturday and
pronounced them safe. He said thai
three crews of workmen would be
started today, making minor repairs
az places where he found them need
cd, The county commissioners
warned by the heavy snowfall during
The winter, spent more than S. 900 on
reflective work early in the Sprir
nnd 1t was believed that the county's
bottom lands would be safe from ove"-
flow unless the stream reached rec
ld-breaking stage.
The highest flood stage record q
mere was two and one-h half feet high
er than the rivers levela yesterday.