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Nogales declares local emergency after July monsoon; engineers outline short-term fixes and long-term costs
Summary
Mayor and council declared a local emergency after July flooding exposed an undermined water line and damaged the Nogales Wash; contractors reported bank stabilization work is ~80% complete and staff warned long-term detention/retention projects could cost tens of millions.
The City of Nogales proclaimed a local emergency on Aug. 5 in response to destructive monsoon flooding that exposed a water utility line and undermined adjacent roadways and wash infrastructure.
"I do hereby proclaim and declare that a local emergency exists within the city of Nogales as a result of the July 2026 monsoons crisis," Mayor Jorge Maldonado said as the council adopted the proclamation authorizing emergency operations, stabilization and coordination with county, state and federal partners.
City-contracted engineer Steve Tinza told the council emergency bank-stabilization work began within 48 hours of first damage and that contractors are roughly "80% done" with slope stabilization and pipe repairs, expecting to complete the current scope by next Monday. Tinza said the immediate repairs are designed as a 20-year improvement but acknowledged other areas of the wash will need additional work.
City staff and councilmembers discussed longer-term options including large detention or retention basins, with ballpark figures cited in the meeting ranging from about $30 million for an initial location up to $80 million for a larger canyon basin. County and city officials said binational coordination with Nogales Sonora and agencies such as the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) will be necessary for watershed-scale solutions.
City Manager's office reminded property owners within the project footprint that federal relocation assistance under the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act applies and encouraged early contact with staff and acquisition specialists who will reach out to owners and tenants in coming weeks.
Next steps include completing the current stabilization work, continuing binational staff-to-staff meetings, pursuing grant and federal funding sources for larger mitigation projects, and scheduling a planning workshop to evaluate a coordinated county–city approach to a long-term solution.
