Agreement reached for Rio Grande water storage in Abiquiu Reservoir

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - The Bureau of Reclamation, Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority and the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District reached an agreement to allow storage of Rio Grande water in the water authority's allotted space in Abiquiu Reservoir for up to 10 years. This allows the continued operation of the Middle Rio Grande project while Reclamation moves forward with necessary Safety of Dams improvements at El Vado Dam.

Under the agreement, the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority allows for up to 100,000 acre-feet of combined storage of pueblo and irrigation district usable water in Abiquiu Reservoir.

"Thanks to the flexibility of our partners, we can continue our evaluation and repairs of El Vado Dam while ensuring the safe storage of water for Middle Rio Grande irrigators, water users, and for Rio Grande Compact purposes. These strong, cooperative partnerships help us use every drop of water for multiple benefits." said Reclamation Albuquerque Area Manager Jennifer Faler.

"The agreement represents a win for all users," said Eric C. Olivas, chair of the Authority's governing board. "It helps the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority and our customers by requiring strategic releases of stored Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District water to maintain flows at the central stream gage above 200 cubic feet per second, allowing us to continue surface water diversions instead of tapping groundwater reserves."

The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority worked with Reclamation and Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District to reach this joint agreement for storage of Rio Grande water within the water authority's allotted space in Abiquiu Reservoir while Reclamation completes El Vado repairs. This includes water for the coalition of six Middle Rio Grande Pueblos and potentially Rio Grande Compact water. This storage is a temporary solution pending completion of construction and repairs at El Vado Dam and helps provide flexibility in water management for the Middle Rio Grande.

In 2022, Reclamation lowered the water level in El Vado Reservoir to facilitate necessary repairs to the dam, revealing that the dam's steel faceplate and supporting structures were in significantly worse condition than previously understood. Consequently, in March 2024, Reclamation halted construction and issued a suspension of work to the project contractor due to unforeseen field conditions that presented numerous challenges.

Reclamation is currently in the process of evaluating the performance of El Vado Dam through a 'first fill test' over the coming months. This test involves incrementally raising the water level in El Vado Reservoir to assess the dam's stability and performance at various elevations. The results of the first fill test will help Reclamation better understand the reservoir and the potential water storage opportunity that may exist there while undergoing Reclamation's Safety of Dams process to develop and implement a long-term solution. The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority, city of Santa Fe, and Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District are allowing their water to be used for this test, another example of the importance of strong partnerships.

For more information, please visit our webpage at https://www.usbr.gov/uc/albuq/water/SanJuanChama/Reservoirs/elvado_indx.html.