Flash floods in washes

In the desert the ground is hard and absorbs little water. A storm many miles away that you cannot see can send a wall of water, mud, and rocks down a dry streambed with blue sky over your head. The National Park Service warns that flash floods can happen without warning, even if you see no rain.

1. Camp at least 100 yards (about 90 m) from dry streambeds and washes, and on higher ground than they are, as the NPS recommends.
2. Do not wait for rescue inside a wash or in a narrow canyon. They are the natural routes of the water.
3. Watch for signs: dark clouds or lightning upstream, a sudden change in the color of the water, branches and debris floating, a growing roar, rising flow.
4. Climb out immediately, up the nearest wall, not along the channel. Do not stop to pick up belongings.
5. Do not cross moving water, on foot or in a car. 6 inches (15 cm) of fast water knocks down an adult; 12 inches (30 cm) carries away a small car; 18 to 24 inches (45–60 cm), a large truck. Details in chapter 10.
6. Wait for it to go down. Desert floods rise fast and usually recede within hours.