Managers warn that Rio Grande could go dry in Albuquerque

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Federal managers are warning that if hot and dry conditions persist, it’s possible that the stretch of the Rio Grande flowing through Albuquerque could dry up this fall.

The Bureau of Reclamation has teamed up with the Interstate Stream Commission and the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District to lease the last block of water available to keep the river as stable as possible before winter.

Other emergency water releases happened earlier this year as spring runoff was poor and the monsoon season was too spotty to help reservoirs and the river recover. One of North America's longest waterways, the Rio Grande runs through New Mexico from Colorado to Texas and into Mexico and is governed by interstate and international water-sharing agreements.

“Mother nature dealt us a really tough hand on the Rio Grande this year," Reclamation area manager Jennifer Faler said, noting that the river's flow has consisted primarily of water imported from the agency's San Juan-Chama project.

Read more: https://theeagle.com/news/national/managers-warn-that-rio-grande-could-go-dry-in-albuquerque/article_7c579496-5336-5164-b475-4115c2ddaedf.html
(Bryan-College Station Eagle)