Over Christmas 2025 and into the new year, the Tri-Community experienced a weather event that surpassed the intensity of Tropical Storm Hilary in 2023. Two powerful storm systems brought together heavy rain, warm temperatures, and saturated ground into a “perfect storm” that altered both landscape and infrastructure, stretching from Wrightwood in the mountains to Piñon Hills in the foothills and Phelan on the desert floor.
On Christmas Eve, Wrightwood received nearly 11 inches of rain in a short span, most of it falling as rain rather than snow. A second storm arrived around New Year’s, dropping an additional 2 to 3 inches on already saturated ground. Meanwhile, Phelan received about 2.5 inches during Christmas and another inch in early January, rainfall that typically wouldn’t cause major flooding on its own.
Wrightwood sits at the top of the Sheep Creek watershed. When warm storms hit the San Gabriel Mountains, and the snow melts, or heavy rain falls, all that water has only one direction to go – downhill.
As water raced out of the canyons and into Sheep Creek Wash, it turned into a fast, muddy, debris-laden flood. The rush spilled over banks, cut new paths, and spread across Phelan, Piñon Hills, and all the way to El Mirage. Water, mud, and debris extended far beyond what is typical.
One of the most visible impacts came at the Phelan Road crossing, where floodwaters poured over the bridge and deposited massive amounts of sediment. The bridge remains closed, making travel through the area difficult. Downstream, neighborhoods along Duncan Road and beside the wash were hit hard by flooding and mud. Some homes sustained major damage, with long cleanups still underway. The California Aqueduct sustained damage, as well.
But while flooding was visible above ground, some of the most serious damage was happening underground.
For the Phelan–Piñon Hills Community Services District (PPHCSD), the storms triggered one of the largest emergency responses in district history. The first signs of trouble came early Dec. 24. Around 5:30 a.m., crews got word of a leak near Phelan Road at the wash crossing. By 7:30 a.m., staff confirmed that a broken water main had been caused by erosion. Within hours, more line breaks were reported near district wells west of the wash.
As floodwaters worsened, access to damaged lines became nearly impossible. By late morning, the wash was uncrossable. Reservoir levels dropped quickly. Six storage tanks were draining simultaneously, and the district estimated a loss of 2.6 million gallons due to multiple mains failing.
Crews shifted into emergency mode, working to isolate the largest breaks and maintain pressure in other parts of the system. In total, 11 major pipe breaks were identified, resulting in 22 open leak points. Other damage included cracked asbestos-concrete pipes and ductile iron lines struck by debris.
Seven key waterline crossings over Sheep Creek Wash were damaged, leaving just two intact. Major connectors like the Trinity Road crossing were wiped out entirely. In some areas, hundreds of feet of pipe were left exposed after soil erosion, posing a risk of additional failures.
As water levels dropped and pressure became unstable, the district could no longer guarantee water quality. That evening, a boil-water notice was issued under state regulations. Another notice followed days later after new failures on the east side caused localized pressure loss. Crews worked through the night, locating, isolating, and repairing breaks.
The PPHCSD crew returned early Christmas Day to continue damage assessments and emergency repairs. Where permanent fixes would take time, they installed temporary “high-line” systems using fire hoses to move water from functioning parts of the system into isolated areas. By Dec. 26, limited water service was restored to about 150 homes.
Bottled water distribution began quickly, with staff and county personnel working together to deliver over 45 pallets to affected residents through community pickups at the Phelan Community Center and Mills Hardware, as well as direct deliveries, even as repairs continued.
Support came from outside the water district as well, but conditions were difficult. When the floodwaters receded, they left behind feet of sediment, burying valves and service lines normally at ground level.
“When floods come in like this, they bring feet of debris,” Wright said during the Jan. 14 meeting. “Our valves used to be at ground level. They stopped being at ground level. Now they’re four feet below ground, sometimes six.”
Crews dug by hand to reach live water mains, working in dangerous conditions. It wasn’t just water infrastructure at risk.
“It’s not just mains when these floods happen,” Wright said. “They wipe out our service lines. They wipe out the telephone, electrical.”
In the worst-hit areas near Colorado and La Mesa roads, the ground had been eroded to depths of 10 to 15 feet. Energized power lines, including live 12-kilovolt cables, were left exposed.
“These people all still have power,” Wright said. “That’s 12 kV lines running through here that we also have to safely navigate, because water and power don’t play well together.”
With danger high and access limited, outside help was critical. On Dec. 26, Wright got a call from the Cal OES incident commander after first responders were unable to reach some homes.
“He asked me, ‘What do we need to get first responders to these homes? And then what do you need to get water to these homes?” Wright said. “I said, ‘I need four D8s and about 10,000 cubic yards of material.’”
By the next day, four bulldozers were pushing material into place in the Colorado and La Mesa area so crews could stabilize the ground and begin pipe repairs.
“Without them,” Wright said, “we would not have been able to get nearly as quickly or as efficiently water to these homes that were affected.”
Local businesses, including Mills Hardware and C.W. Wells, opened right after Christmas to provide emergency materials. Property owners allowed crews to cross private land, helping save water during the crisis. The county’s emergency team set up at the Phelan Community Center and brought in departments, supplies, and support for affected residents.
Just as the community began recovering, another round of storms hit near New Year’s, pouring rain onto already saturated ground. A new mainline break on the district’s east side prompted a second boil-water notice. Crews quickly installed an emergency connection with Sheep Creek Water Company to reroute water and keep hundreds of homes supplied.
By early January, after multiple rounds of flushing and water quality testing overseen by the state, all boil-water notices were lifted.
Although this story has focused on Phelan and Piñon Hills, Wrightwood was hit hard as well. Mud and floodwaters damaged homes, and some residents were briefly stranded. Power outages left parts of Wrightwood dark for days. A short boil-water notice followed a fire hydrant break that compromised the Golden State Water system, but repairs were quick, and service was restored soon after. The full impact of these winter storms on Wrightwood will be the subject of a future article.
At the Jan. 28 PPHCSD board meeting, Water Operations Manager Sean Wright gave a recovery update. He said the system has been stabilized and outlined a proposal to permanently rebuild five wash crossings. Four of those crossings were destroyed during the storms.
“It’s not as bad as it could be,” Wright told the board. “We’re not staring at seven figures. It’s in the low six numbers.”
The district plans to install stronger pipe and bury it about 12 feet underground to better withstand future storms. Materials for the Trinity Road crossing, a key system connector, have already begun arriving.
Officials are also seeking reimbursement from county, state, and federal agencies, including FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers. They are also exploring how storm repairs can align with the district’s long-term water system plans.
At the same meeting, Wright and board members recognized the work of the water operations crew, staff, and supporting agencies. Each team member was acknowledged individually for their efforts under difficult and often dangerous conditions. Recognition was also given to county partners and local businesses that stepped in during the emergency.
The storms that struck in late December and early January were far from typical winter weather. But as floodwaters reshaped washes, roads, and neighborhoods, local crews, agencies, businesses, and neighbors stepped up. Often in risky conditions, they worked to keep people safe and restore essential services.
