New River takes its name from a seasonal wash, part of the Agua Fria River system, that runs dry most of the year and carries fast-moving water after hard rain. The community started in 1868 as a stagecoach stop, and for decades it marked the spot where the old Black Canyon Highway, now Interstate 17, lost its pavement on the way to Prescott. Today it is a spread-out unincorporated area of about 56 square miles and some 17,000 people, bordered by the Tonto National Forest to the north, Cave Creek to the east and Anthem and Phoenix to the west.
For help with a leak, storm damage or flooding, call The Restoration Job at (888) 317-9980. The line is free and open 24/7, and we refer callers to independent restoration providers that travel to New River. We don't perform the work, and how quickly a provider can reach a rural property depends on the company, distance and road conditions.
How the call works: when you call (888) 317-9980, The Restoration Job connects you with an independent restoration provider that serves New River. That provider inspects the damage, explains the scope and quotes the work. The Restoration Job doesn't perform restoration itself. Read our referral disclosure.
Living Near the Washes on Larger Desert Lots
Washes shape almost everything about drainage in New River. They look like sandy paths for months, then fill in minutes when a monsoon cell drops heavy rain upstream, sometimes miles away from the house that ends up wet. Properties set close to a wash, or graded so that desert runoff heads toward a garage, barn or casita, are the ones that tend to see water and mud come inside.
The National Weather Service Phoenix office points out that one to two feet of moving water can float most vehicles, including SUVs. Road crossings through washes are a real hazard during storms, and it is worth waiting for water to drop before driving out to check on a property or meeting a provider.
The 2012 Anthem Storm and Other North Valley Downpours
Neighboring Anthem recorded 5.01 inches of rain in about an hour and a half on July 31, 2012, a storm investigators later called a one-in-1,000-year event. Rain at that rate has nowhere to go but downhill, and the slopes north of Phoenix feed the washes that cross New River. Two years later, on September 8, 2014, moisture from Hurricane Norbert set Phoenix's all-time daily rainfall record and pushed about a third of Maricopa County's rain gauges to new highs.
Big events like these are the exception. More often, damage comes from a single short storm: a roof leak, a door that lets runoff in, or a carport or shed damaged by wind. Monsoon gusts in this region frequently top 40 mph and can exceed 100 mph in the strongest storms.
Septic, Wells and Other Rural-Property Questions
Water damage on a rural property can involve systems that city homes don't have. If your home uses a septic system, a heavy storm that saturates the drain field can slow or back up drains inside, and that water should be treated as contaminated. If a pump, pressure tank or well line fails, a provider can help with the interior cleanup while a well or plumbing specialist handles the equipment.
- Avoid using sinks, toilets and laundry if drains are backing up during or after a storm
- Keep people and pets away from any water that came from a sewer or septic line
- Note where outbuildings, tack rooms or workshops took on water too, since insurers may treat them separately
Our sewage cleanup page explains why contaminated water calls for different handling than a clean supply-line leak.
Getting a Property Dry When Help Is a Drive Away
Because New River is spread out, it helps to do what you safely can before a provider arrives. Shut off the water at the main or the well, turn off power to wet rooms if the panel is in a dry place, and move furniture and rugs out of the water. Take plenty of photos and video, including outside where the water came from.
Once on site, a restoration crew will typically extract water, remove saturated materials and set dehumidifiers and air movers for structural drying, returning to take moisture readings until things are dry. In the humid weeks of late summer, getting that equipment running early reduces the chance of mold in walls and cabinets. Visible growth beyond a small patch should be removed with containment rather than wiped down.
County Flood Information for Unincorporated New River
With no city government, New River residents turn to Maricopa County agencies. The Flood Control District of Maricopa County publishes an online floodplain viewer and will research a parcel's flood status for free through a Flood Hazard Information Request. If a lender determines a home is in a 100-year floodplain, flood insurance is required, but wash runoff regularly reaches homes outside the mapped zones.
Standard homeowners policies generally exclude surface-water flooding, so ask your agent whether separate flood coverage makes sense for a property near a wash. For neighbors to the west, see our page on water damage in Anthem.
Where Callers in the New River Area Are
The same line also serves nearby communities such as:
- Anthem
- Desert Hills
- Cave Creek
- Phoenix
New River Water Damage Questions
Runoff from a wash came into my garage. Is that a flood claim?
Usually, yes. Water that flows across the ground from outside and into a building is typically treated as flooding, which standard homeowners policies exclude unless you carry separate flood coverage. Damage from rain entering through a storm-damaged roof is often handled differently. Check your policy wording and report the loss to your insurer either way, with photos of where the water entered.
How long will it take a restoration provider to reach New River?
It varies by company, distance, and how many other calls a storm has generated across the north Valley. When you call (888) 317-9980 we connect you with an independent provider that serves the area, and they can give you their own estimate. Washes that are running can also delay travel, so meanwhile, stop the water source and document the damage.
Does a flooded barn or casita need the same cleanup as the house?
Any building that took on water benefits from being dried promptly, especially if it holds feed, tack, tools or living space. Detached structures may fall under a different part of your insurance policy, so photograph them separately. A provider can usually include outbuildings in the same visit if you mention them when you call.