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- Middle Rio G' rande Conservancy district r' <br />.lap Produced by MROQ3 2001 er t�Q rz ee r•o ;. <br />1a 2t r.2 <br />Sanrlozral County t <br />iilCbrAQC Cut'hiN -u� r�T{? --------- - <br />b Coccinh Division <br />i �u as turn Diverstyn Dam <br />;Bernalilly <br />County <br />Albuquerque Division <br />.�, =_ <br />� ^ "• .... 8fhulvernve ., - <br />"7slr.MYueiito � —�— — <br />'Lo��t,uria� <br />;Valencia <br />County <br />$P7ert. <br />_- __..:.1_ ............. <br />. Belen Div istom,. <br />BerrcaMo <br />San Acacia l)ierereinn Daln.. <br />E socarro County <br />i Sixo:rc, <br />Socorro Division <br />3 <br />r " x l f !:Jnticr:rtt iYF7Ati2.Rervre --."" 1 <br />Map of Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District <br />the Rio Grande Compact. The Compact sets forth <br />a schedule of deliveries of native Rio Grande wa- <br />ter from Colorado to New Mexico and from New <br />Mexico to Texas. <br />Water demand in the MRG Valley includes ir- <br />rigated agriculture, municipal, and industrial <br />consumption. In addition to these demands, there <br />are significant consumptive uses associated with <br />riparian vegetation, wetlands, river and reservoir <br />evaporation. Superimposed on these demands are <br />river flow targets associated with two federally - <br />listed endangered species, the silvery minnow (hy- <br />bognathus amarus), and the southwestern willow <br />fly catcher (Empidonax traillii extimus). <br />MRGCD <br />The Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District <br />(MRGCD) was formed in 1925 in response to <br />flooding and the deterioration of irrigation works. <br />In 1950, MRGCD entered into a contract with <br />the USBR to receive financial assistance for its <br />system rehabilitation (the Middle Rio Grande <br />Project). System improvements occurred until <br />1975, when MRGCD resumed operation and <br />maintenance of the system. Water diverted by <br />the MRGCD originates as native flow of the <br />Rio Grande and its tributaries, including the Rio <br />Chama. <br />The MRGCD services irrigators from Cochiti <br />Reservoir to the northern boundary of the Bosque <br />del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. Irrigation <br />facilities managed by the MRGCD divert water <br />from the river to service agricultural lands, which <br />include small urban parcels and large tracts that <br />produce alfalfa, pasture, corn and vegetable crops. <br />The MRGCD supplies water to its four divi- <br />sions -- Cochiti, Albuquerque, Belen and Socorro <br />-- through Cochiti Dam and Angostura, Isleta and <br />San Acacia diversion weirs, respectively. In addi- <br />tion to direct diversions at these weirs, all divi- <br />sions except Cochiti receive return flow via drains <br />from divisions upstream. <br />Efficient Water Delivery <br />During the recent drought years, the MRGCD <br />has taken a proactive approach to improving <br />its water delivery operations and its manage- <br />ment of available water. Towards this end, aging <br />infrastructure has been replaced with automation <br />capable structures and the division managers and <br />ditch -riders are increasingly practicing rotational <br />water delivery, which is an effective way to fulfill <br />demand with reduced available water. <br />Rotational Water Delivery (RWD) is used in <br />irrigation systems worldwide to improve water <br />delivery and to support water conservation. In <br />RWD, lateral canals receive water from the main <br />canal by turns, allowing water use in some later- <br />als while others are closed. In addition to this wa- <br />ter rotation among laterals, there can be rotation <br />within laterals whereby water use is distributed <br />in turns among farm turnouts or check structures <br />along a lateral. By distributing water among us- <br />ers in a systematic rotational fashion, an irrigation <br />district can decrease water diversions and still <br />