Isleta Diversion Dam

The Isleta Diversion Dam is a structure on the Rio Grande in the Albuquerque Basin near Isleta Village Proper, New Mexico that diverts water from the river into irrigation canals. There have been some negative environmental impacts due to changes in the river flow that affect the native fish and drying of the riverside land.

Isleta Diversion Dam
Isleta Diversion Dam
Location of Isleta Diversion Dam in New Mexico
CountryUnited States
LocationValencia / Bernalillo counties, near Isleta, New Mexico
Coordinates34.9057°N 106.6851°W / 34.9057; -106.6851
PurposeIrrigation
Opening date1934
Owner(s)Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District
Dam and spillways
Type of damDiversion dam
Height21 feet (6.4 m)
Length674 feet (205 m)
Spillway capacity1,070 cubic feet (30 m3) per second

Structure

The Isleta Diversion Dam is one of three diversion dams maintained by the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District (MRGCD), the others being the Angostura Diversion Dam and the San Acacia Diversion Dam.[1] The Isleta Diversion Dam serves the MRGCD's Belen Division. It is a reinforced concrete structure, 21 feet (6.4 m) high and 674 feet (205 m) long with 30 radial gates.[2] It has a total diversion capacity of 1,070 cubic feet (30 m3) per second, feeding the Peralta Main and Belen Highline Canals.[3]

The dam was completed in 1934.[3] In 1955 the dam was rehabilitated by the United States Bureau of Reclamation as part of the Middle Rio Grande Project.[1]

Diversion potential

River volumes peak between March and June due to the spring runoff, but demand for irrigation peaks between July and October. During the irrigation period, the river downstream from the Isleta diversion dam may largely dry up unless irrigation water is returned to the river or a summer storm provides a brief influx of water.[4] Potentially, the dam can divert all the water out of the Rio Grande in low-flow conditions.[5] Between 2001 and 2005, the dam diverted 58% of upstream water in wet years and 91% in dry years, although the total volume diverted in wet years was higher.[6]

Environmental impact

The dam has helped to reduce flooding and to provide irrigation water, but has had some negative environmental impact. Upstream from the dam the river has silted, but islands have formed downstream, with the river cutting relatively deep and narrow channels with faster-moving water. This has caused a problem for fish such as the Rio Grande silvery minnow.[7] This fish used to be one of the most common fish in the river. The diversion dams have cut its habitat into four separate segments. It is now classified as endangered and its population continues to decline.[8]

Improved drainage has dried out the wetlands, harming native plants and wildlife. The frequency of wildfires has increased. In response, the Isleta Pueblo and consultants have been developing a plan to reduce the risk of fire, prioritize fire fighting to focus on areas dominated by native vegetation, replant cottonwood and willows along the banks, restore riparian grasslands and search for ways to better manage the dam.[7]

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References

Citations

  1. Middle Rio Grande Project.
  2. Isleta Diversion Dam - Reclamation.
  3. Dams and Diversions...
  4. Finch & Tainter 1995, p. 168.
  5. Baker et al. 2003, p. 201.
  6. Oelsner 2007, p. 53-53.
  7. Benevidez 2008.
  8. Valerio 2008, p. 15-16.

Sources

  • Baker, Malchus B.; Ffolliott, Peter F.; DeBano, Leonard F.; Neary, Daniel G. (2003-07-28). Riparian Areas of the Southwestern United States: Hydrology, Ecology, and Management. CRC Press. ISBN 978-1-56670-626-1. Retrieved 2012-10-03.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Benevidez, Robert (June 14, 2008). "Pueblo of Isleta Viewpoint - Rio Grande Changes and Management Approach" (PDF). Retrieved 2012-10-03.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • "Dams and Diversions Along the Rio Grande". Middle Rio Grande Bosque Initiative. Retrieved 2012-10-03.
  • Finch, Deborah M.; Tainter, Joseph A. (1995). Ecology, Diversity, and Sustainability of the Middle Rio Grande Basin. DIANE Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7881-3013-7. Retrieved 2012-09-28.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • "Isleta Diversion Dam". Bureau of Reclamation. Retrieved 2012-10-03.
  • "Middle Rio Grande Project". U.S. Department of the Interior - Bureau of Reclamation. Archived from the original on 2012-10-03. Retrieved 2012-10-02.
  • Oelsner, Gretchen Pauline (2007). Spatial and Temporal Hydrologic Variability as a Control on the Nutrient Dynamics of the Upper Rio Grande. ProQuest. ISBN 978-0-549-15837-0. Retrieved 2012-10-03.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Valerio, Allison Marie (2008). Modeling Groundwater-surface Water Interactions in an Operational Setting by Linking RiverWare with MODFLOW. ProQuest. ISBN 978-0-549-56234-4. Retrieved 2012-10-03.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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