WSP01293

• File Number: 8220.125.N
• Description: San Juan-Chama Project
• State: NM
• Basin: San Juan/Dolores
• Date: 2/1/1993
• Author: USDOI/BOR
• Title: 1992 Water Accounting Report to the Rio Grande Compact Commission
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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Diversions were discontinued on September 16, and the Bureau of
Reclamation (Reclamation) personnel began preparations to resume
repair work to the tunnel invert as scheduled. Concrete repairs to
the tunnels began in earnest after January 1, 1993.

Reclamation_~g:ain offered a waiver to the SJ-C contractors extending
._._.n __ ______m____~____ ___..--. _ _ ~__ __.,_" ____-'"'.". _ . ___'___ .
the required dehvery date of Dece,lIiber31, 1992 to April 30, 1993~
This extension provided an opportun~ty to stabilize the flows below El
Vado Dam to provide fishery benefits and allow for additional
operational flexibility.

El Vado Reservoir

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Beginning in mid-octob~r of 1991, releases from El Vado were main-
tained at about 125 ft /s with the natural inflow bypassed and SJ-C
water used to supply the bala~ce. By late November, the releases were
gradually increased to 230 ft /s where they remained through March of
1992. The Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District (MRGCD) offered a
little of their remaining storage space in El Vado Reservoir to other
SJ-C contractors and S~-CwClteFin..storage amountedtCl 111,467 AFj:)y_
April 30, 199.t. The state of New Mexico began 1992 with a delivery
credit under Articles # IV & VI of the Rio Grande compact, so MRGCD,
from mid-March to early May, captured the majority of the Rio Grande
inflow in the remaining space in El Vado Reservoir amounting to
approximately 69,153 AF of natural storage. The reservoir reached its
maximum storage level of 180,357 AF at elevation 6900.16 ft. on May
20, 1992.

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Irrigation releases began on June 29 and MRGCD utilized a combination
of Rio Grande storage from El Vado and Rio Grande native water in the
mainstem of the Rio Grande for its irrigation supply for most of the
irrigation season. Qn_~eptember 4, all Rio Grande storage in El Vado
w,as exhausted, and MRGCD began using SJ-C water to suppleniElIit its
needs until near the end of the irrigation season on Octo.be.r 27, 1992.
During the latter part of the irrigation season, MRGCD used 67,613 AF
of SJ-C water for these purposes, borrowing it from the City of
Albuquerque's SJ-C pool in Abiquiu Reservoir. SJ-C water was passed
through El Vado Reservoir (originating from Heron Reservoir) during
the summer destined for Cochiti Reservoir to replace losses on that
reservoir's permanent recreation pool. SJ-C water was also released
from El Vado storage to provide flows for rafting on six weekends
below El Vado Dam on the Rio Chama, and to begin paying back the SJ-C
water MRGCD borrowed from Abiquiu.

On October 1, a winter fish~Y flow was set at 150 fe/s, and was
gradually increased to 200 ft /s by late October where it stabilized
for the remainder of the year. Natural inflow to E1 Vado was bypassed
and augmented with MRGCD SJ-C water to maintain the total release from
the dam. MRGCD SJ-C water was being released from El Vado Reservoir
during that period to pay back the City of Albuquerque's SJ-C pool in
Abiquiu Reservoir, from which MRGCD borrowed from during September and
October to augment its irrigation supply. E1 Vado Reservoir was drawn

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