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<br />C01118
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<br />EI Vado has also been operated to
<br />deliver the "prior and paramount"
<br />water rights of the six Pueblos which
<br />it services. Each year, the Bureau of
<br />Reclamation and the Bureau of Indian
<br />Affairs determine how much water
<br />should be stored in order to ensure a
<br />reliable irrigation supply to 8,847
<br />acres of Pueblo lands. This water is
<br />subsequently released when the nat-
<br />ural flow of the Rio Grande is insuffi-
<br />cient to supply the irrigated acreage.
<br />
<br />The "spill" at Elephant Butte in 1985
<br />cancelled New Mexico's water debt
<br />under the Rio Grande Compact and
<br />enabled El Vado to be used for the
<br />storage and release of natural Rio
<br />Chama waters. Future operation of EI
<br />Vado will depend upon decisions
<br />regarding the relative value of storing
<br />5}C water versus capturing natural
<br />Chama flow. Although the Bureau
<br />physically operates the dam,
<br />MRGCD retains primary control over
<br />decisions regarding the use of reser-
<br />voir capacity, The MRGCD will be
<br />allowed to store and release natural
<br />Chama waters so long as New Mexico
<br />does not accrue another major debt
<br />under the compact or Elephant Butte
<br />storage does not drop below 400,000
<br />af from its current 2,110,000 af level.
<br />(Under Article VII of the compact,
<br />post. 1929 reservoirs in New Mexico
<br />may not store native flow when Ele-
<br />phant Butte Reservoir drops below
<br />400,000 aL)
<br />
<br />Another criterion under which El
<br />Vado operates is the protection of
<br />downstream irrigators who have his-
<br />torically relied upon the Rio Chama.
<br />No storage can take place that
<br />deprives these senior Chama irriga-
<br />tors of their lawful supplies. The
<br />State Engineer has established that
<br />when the Rio Chama falls below 100
<br />cis during the irrigation season as
<br />measured at Abiquiu Dam (exclusive
<br />of SjC waters), EI Vado must operate
<br />to pass all of the river's natural flow.
<br />
<br />Finally, El Va do has recently been
<br />operated to help accommodate the
<br />recreational needs of rafters and
<br />boaters who utilized the free flowing
<br />waters of the Chama downstream of
<br />El Vado, The MRGCD and Albuquer,
<br />que have arranged to time the sum-
<br />
<br />21
<br />
<br />w,.,:; w ~ .,~. ~ qjj} ~'m m~ J~ ",;~,.''Pl" ~ iil<'. M
<br />"If ~ i ',." .;0 h. ~/"'~ '"~ ~
<br />
<br />Mi ~::.,';flfi ~M.,\, ..t'J,'fI;;. ~~;....t'J1~l'J,"iilil; '6'
<br />fished to carry out th~ rest1nsIbilities e. :.ciate;to:,~t.!nount<lin' '^,',~tershe,k
<br />legally owed to Indtan tnbeS bX,th; fed-, ,:un4~r jt1,jUrisd~~t~Rn::f?r,€!st ~anagemellf:
<br />era~,gov~rI1~J:el1,!"' ;JPi~i~lu(le~:e~surihg~ P[e5,~e~~~anhav{~r. irnportan,U.r?p~ct~9n
<br />that t,rib~l ~aters~!~ prope,~!y.pr?t~~Y~~:,B .~lJ:!e,(iu~.~~(tya!\d qUalit~r.9fJlows\f6F virtU;~
<br />alldrecelye,~;'As,ruSh;'B!t\personn~1 'arE!~,~.1JY;,allstt~,fq1:s ~~tpe RJo'G~~~de water~ .!~
<br />inv91~ed 'in '~B~~di~.~i~~,~ioll'~~~i() Grande 'G;sh,~~~<c~~nc~,;~Ket."odgin~tijn,n~~ior,t:~~& ..!j~
<br />waterstCl: wh1C;h;thePuel,lo.Indlan reser'J>:; ~'fore5fs. The Forest Service 'alsohas"'a role,,,,;
<br />.. C",,",,". ......,;;'b...'.,. .'.. '~r"',/,~ ..,;','h'~.':':' .'iM" .~.: ..... ,,;":""'k.'.,"~
<br />va.ti~~"are;~,11tItled,"m'r;:' tft5 ~ill def,mi~g fe~~raI ,rt~serVe4 '-YaterTi~hts.. 1:3
<br />TfII!,BURE.~U()'FtAND ~NAGE:,;;not orilY,for t1;~/o,:~~~sJ?u.ti",alsolo~,~ilder~
<br />',' ',,".' ..~ ".0';"" ."<'" ',li".' """;",nes,5,area~/wdd'and,~elll-'~reasand ,," '6
<br />ME-~':71thY1,l~,e?~p~r;~~~J!1t ?!Jh~,. ',> '~other spe'dallyptotected I;rnqsandwaters::
<br />Inte:n,9r~,hasJ,~nsdJct~,~H'i~~er e~~e~lslv~ ,..lm'd~,r itsjurisdic~!on;W~ile ,!hig,ageney
<br />l<1n95. throug~()uf;t~~ b,asrn..~()t ~ply~ "I'does"nbt"playa diiect roIeinRicFCrimde
<br />d~es It ~,~n,age~~p an~,scemc a~d .'.' .',p:1anagement l~ndeithe Co:m:b~ct" theWi'
<br />wil~erne:;ss areasflike,tllei~!'7st Servl~~J,,:~~ffectof its deCIsions andJiractkesc n be
<br />'put,it al~o~~~yeJ~p~,f!:xtepsiye,:~t~l",~ights~:i~shbstant.iaL '. ~'{; a 'i;'~
<br />mCQnne,ctlOr WIth grazmg 'aq!Yltl~S .on '1'+:, g, '"'>
<br />pup~c <io~,a~J1' land~,;wric:h a~~ i~fl~!~:;" t~{JHE.SOIL' f:\QNSERVATlqN:S~VICE 1f/
<br />,maryr~~po~~~biIitY>'lJ1us~~e BU~.f:au of~\~ ,QP~~~t~s a!,mall rec~amahon prole~t.pro-,
<br />LaIld~~na..g~!?,~n~'play&~da' majOJ.\r~le)n:;. ,:,;,?r~O'I!}. that,has ,~9cal1~~ortanc~,I~!~~Y/~
<br />negotiatIng f(jrfed~ralre~,erv~~ rights Jor'i,J~fng~tors. I~ aI,s" performs H~e Important'
<br />the wil?,?ndS~enic~p:ortt9{r'~ft~~. ~e(i~ ,~#;fs~rvice;ofll"i~nitor.ing a~~~epl)~ting . r.I~\'4:
<br />Riv,,~r, itl~orth~rn Ne'f Mexi<O)~ conn('c:: ::~riowpacJ<'itnd spring,rul1(;lff conditi,~ns,in
<br />tio!:"\,~.i,t~~a,'A;",~teF ;~~~,ft~djudlcatio!l, '~~,f~~~~bo.'ra.ti6n~ith the U::? Wefthef,~erv~
<br />.t~ere"~r'~lsoBl~~~,:'e ~~)jlgl~. if) re~latii1gs: is!f,e.,';T.?lS 1~.~,~ lIl1P8~ant)),laf)~m~tq?lfo.r~ ~
<br />'recreati91"1al- u~e of ri'Ver~ ll~the, Riq<',,'?:I,i'1f wate["J?ar~<lg~Il}ent agencu~s" (fj.'# !!Y, ti~
<br /><:;rafk~~.6a~inal)?h:~s,,-~~~~:~itb:ecent~;~ iJ~*',/i~<, ,~.:,~,:,! ,.... ;c; ~
<br />')fdeCI~)Qn- makIng concormng use ~ k ~T1TlO\ l,'S~~LAToRY~
<br />~af~~~;,PtSef~ront. ofJk1~:~lo_q~<:u1~;?S':'~ /AGENCIESct.. ~~ ~ '" ~ .
<br />PIJI'~,~~~~d'~;!n,~panic~~p,;~u~i~~e~::'(~('~.. <',d',! ~;::i,!s ". '. .r;{,o;~"" . 4f.;, '" ,~
<br />C.~al',~~t~~Y;Joi;B1~.tHe,~di~cus~ion (;l~th.i~.. v~n.o~sler t9.S-Rs~p~:mte~!,al~9lJ1Bh~l}:e;, ~
<br />~9nt.r?'VeI~y'l:;T~e,t~~r:~ap :,V1U;~~:a~a p:!~n~~JiJ~.~, sgmpa$.~i a~.,weU a~ ~o ~^f,fect~,~ely'
<br />va~ive:maDftg~~~e~.t !P~~~t,~9t?~~;that '!H"ma~\~g~~t~,~J,;\Ja~~rsf,e~cQ::?f.th7.th,r~~:~i",~
<br />f€!la~~~',:4irect1~,t~ th~:m~a?ementof~." ,'tZ:u~p'erbaSlfls,ti\~es ~~s ~stabhshed proce~'
<br />watel\4~o~a{;e:::\~.;,: ''fi :-~;i~ N~J ,;~~...dl.lr~'s"fof}egU}a:ktg t27:,:,~,~'?{\~y~ter~;!!hj').
<br />~,j1 '"l~:~ . "'.:~ ,>.",,,:'}pptopnate:,~t~te ageTlcytyplcally l'E!vle'W~
<br />THR;..FISH'ANq, \Y!hDLI~~S?RVIC~ is;p~pof3,al~J6t:!~~terrjght transfersa~qfol~z
<br />cha.r~,~yvi!~ B;3:ref,~ip'~,bf e"nd~p~ere"d .... ~rie~,:~ater appropri,~~.t9~f.}Ss~ef~erniJt~~
<br />an~,pw~ec~d~sp~l~~,a,~ W:Uf:~,~";Wjl~,~~~;.." ,J:1~,r ~p~pd~::fat~r:PUmpi~&~' provtdes
<br />refuges;".T~~:Endal1g~r~~i5pecl~~~c:t, 10 :';<~~a~slsta!lc,~;r~lanye t?:water'deveIop~eJ1t~
<br />particulaJ',',~~y,~.~J"i~}} ~,Ild,yvil~lifeati'iti- ~t~?4~nde"rtake~'~~~19us ot~erfu~t!iQ~s J
<br />ca.1rol,~,in~~te~"res9~fc~d~t~i~n~.4~ . ..~~ .,~o~i~t~nt'wi,~h'stat~\$aterrnanage~,ent
<br />m~~,~~gi~:?,ta,riy A'~e~~:.~f ~hei;f'e~~:'-IU$: dffi ";'p~lf~~~'s~~n i~Bortant, r,?l~ is''kJsq.play~d~
<br />reqUired tow~:~e.~~'l~9g1~~ op~n19,ns on . by th,e'sta~ega~e:-~_nd figll-,depa~inents ~:i
<br />thei111p~)~pf.;l}e~~~~r~roj~cts o~.. . ~charged with proteCtiop of}hre~ten~1i ~.
<br />end~~g~~a ~?e~l;_~~ .ard~t~,preS(pphOnS ~'~p({.tndangerest~pe~,~~~ as \N~!t?s:,?--y",,~l
<br />about.h~blt~two~~.ctlpn a{~o;fte~,~~y. ':\:;., : par~s,_and.recreation,aepartm'et'ts:respon~
<br />~egotla~~ng P91~~,m'We~tep\ wa,~~r ?ev~J".f,? sible forsh~.te, protected riversegm~ents. ~
<br />"9P'rri.~nt'I.flthe':~i~.GraI1,d~basi~:the ~~" ......'""~~,, """;" .; 'T;.:<\J'
<br />Fishi'a,nd~{Xild!if~\8ervil:e has'n~g6ti~!e~ ~'):Th~,~o,cal P,?Wtof wat)!adm.1111stratIO~ In
<br />!qr in~trean1,t;~~st~"pro~~:~tnsl:Wri~s'in .Ne:-vMexlco,~S the ,State, Engmeer Of tic,?,
<br />the ~i~:,f~,~ma'aI1dke(!ps;~a~~fu':trJ~kbf ~:r:~fNew !1~xic9.1egis,I~tu~,p~~~1ide<? th~'ffi
<br />aHrIver. segmep~wl1ereh~~I~at,lf~SP~~ . m. ~~tate ~p~meer WIth power ofg~neral,;tt
<br />i:ially}ensitiy~, r9Rh~fig~~'fIo~s ?e,~~r. ~1,s~pervlslon ofwat~rs .of th~s~ate,,~n.~ O.(i ."
<br />rnined'by,w,ate(SUPRlyconsiderations.',-i,; t~~ .~rasurement; _appro~patl?n,~~?S~l~ ~S
<br />;oj~:"''4'~,::0. ...,.... Ui;k bl.:ltIOR~h.~re,~f:',Thp;:~tatepnglne;~s~r~' t'f
<br />TH~iqEQ~qqlCALS~VEt~a,rd~s .out rent1YO<~lT,Lploys appr!JximateJy l~O p~opIe
<br />mlmer.Otlsw~terr(;>sotJrce studit!S'th9(:> within four division's fofuHiIl the duties'
<br />plaY~~Jl1'1PoIiantrole: irt the,water"~<!Ju: d~.legated,to;the'office; '" ~
<br />dicatioHRr?tJ~slswellas,it1,water'({;':;' .~ji',': $:k. """" '." .,',; "
<br />resou&~s"Blam)ingpy,()t~er agencies/~ , l,!le,New MeXll;Oi?tate,E~glr~~r lSalsqa
<br />Whn~:fhe,$,~tt~41~~:S h~t!~kepolicy 1';0, mem~erof}the.~~w~~,2<lc,()lnte~st~t~
<br />positfQns(itpJa.wa.-~.~~tiveroleip ope.ra~;,! "::.Streall},S9fi'lF1sslon afldserv~~ ~s:~ts f!J;
<br />ingg~ging,,~~~Hons.<f!ri<d providiflg dat~, ~"'~~~Ctlyv~ ~mc~r'!he,(~i~nte~ate d
<br />essentialfolen'ford?rnentof the,Rio . .re~p1 OTIDlsslon no ,,:.~ co. use.. ~
<br />c;rande"C6'mpa'ct. $:;; m lIW with t,he~i() ,9rande:~ompact Comm!"s~
<br />~,.':,j.wi .'" .", sion) isa state agencythata,~sistsin the
<br />,-,' ;j,,~ ~t,. ;S. 1,,* i c<mstrttctiQnof irl'igatiQn :WOrk6,cooper~ :1'.
<br />Department of Agm;ulture ates in the development of Mderal water
<br />Q&... .'.~~ ,~,~~" f!. "~, ~~ 'projectsico9gU,;,tsi~~rstate1itig1itiOl1; ~i;
<br />THErC?R?ST,.Sil~~Ylc:Ecalsa:participates't;t 'andfun~s 't,~terres~arch, development, :'~
<br />il1 water mariagementthrough it~,~an~ al)dconservationpr?jects.
<br />~ '~~' ':!/, (j) '1':;,.,::'
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