Rio Chama Flow Project

Rio Chama Flow Project
Rio Chama Flow Project
Presentation by Steve Harris,
Rio Grande Restoration
Santa Fe, We Have a Problem
New Mexico’s
Hydrologically
Altered Rivers
2011 Cadmus Report
• 80% of rivers are
“Significantly Altered”
• Chama is identified as
relatively intact.
• Ripe for E-Flow Demo
Project?
MAP OF WATERSHED
San Juan – Chama Project Introduces an additional 96,000 acre-ft to the basin.
Howthe
theRiver
Riveris
is Governed
Governed.
How
•The river is managed mainly for
MRGCD Irrigation, Albuquerque
Drinking Water.
•In-basin users are primarily Native
Americans and Hispanic Land Grant Heirs.
•Instream Flow a Beneficial Use in NM?
•There are no endangered or threatened
species that rely on the Chama for critical
habitat.
•Complex network of stakeholders – Rio
Grande Compact,federal, state, and acequia
water managers; recreation; farmers; cities.
Chama’s Unique
Opportunities
1. The river currently has more
water than it had historically
2. There are no major diversions
within the project reach
3. Abiquiu Dam can provide storage
downstream
4. Sediment delivery continues from
Rio Chama tributaries
5. Not constrained by ESA or CWA
6. Most of the same stakeholders as
in the Middle Rio Grande (trust
building)
El Vado Dam, constructed in 1935, is
located at upper end of project reach.
•196,000 acre-feet
of storage.
•For Irrigation:
Middle Rio Grande
Conservancy
District (MRGCD).
•230 feet high.
•Safety Issues.
ALTERED HYDROLOGY
El Vado Has Downstream
Environmental Effects
•
•
•
•
•
Reduced Sediment supply (~17,000 AF in reservoir)
Changed Hydrology (managed for Water Delivery)
Changed channel morphology
Abandoned Floodplains
Changed ecological environment
– In-channel Habitat (fish and macro-inverts)
– Riparian Ecology (flora and fauna)
• Improved recreational environment
– Boating (commercial and private)
– Fishing
Flood of 2006
6000 cfs: The River at Work
Cobbles Move, Channels Form
MANAGING RIVER FLOWS FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT
Intended Outcome: Improved environmental
performance of, and increased satisfaction of all parties
with, river operations, by creation of a collaborative
process for determining annual water operations.
E-Flows
Goal: to suggest adjustments to operations of El Vado
Dam in order to achieve environmental improvements in
the downstream reach without jeopardizing downstream
water users.
Phase 1 funded by the New Mexico River Ecosystem
Restoration Initiative (RERI).
Chama Project ID Team
• Mike Harvey, Fluvial
Geomorphology
• Todd Caplan, Riparian Ecology
• Mark Stone, Ryan Morrison,
Hydrologic Modeling
• Greg Gustina, Fisheries Biology
• Mindy Benson, Adaptive
Management
• Steve Harris, Project Management
Six Study Sites: Collecting
Baseline Monitoring Data
1. Hydrologic Record,
2. Indicators of Hydrologic
Alteration,
3. Geomorphic and
Sediment mapping,
4. Vegetation mapping,
5. Benthic Surveys,
6. Fish Surveys,
7. Hydrodynamic
Modeling,
8. Sediment and
Vegetation modeling,
9. Systems Dynamics.
Rio Chama Flow-Ecology
Relationship
• Index of Hydrologic
Alteration
• Assemble Agency
Experts
• March 10, 2013Flow:Ecology
Workshop
• Developed Flow
Hypotheses
Recommendations
~20 m3/s
Chama Flows: Next Steps
•
•
•
•
Advisory Council:
Stakeholders Suggest
Implementation Strategies.
Systems Dynamics Model:
Incorporate e-flow hypotheses
and operational constraints.
Reclamation Annual
Operating Plan: Use model
to produce recommendations
for water year.
Monitoring and Adaptive
Management.
Consulting Stakeholders
Causality Diagram for the Rio Chama
Systems Dynamic Model
Recreational Hydrograph
400 cfs
Thank you
Questions?