Water managers warn that stretches of the Rio Grande will dry up without more rain
Lack of rain and hot conditions in central New Mexico are leaving one of North America's longest rivers in dire shape again
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The ongoing lack of rain and hot conditions have left one of North America's longest rivers in dire shape again, prompting water managers on Thursday to warn farmers in central New Mexico who depend on the Rio Grande that supplies will be drying up in the coming weeks.
That means stretches of the river through the Albuquerque area are expected to go dry — much like last year.
Water managers and fish biologists at the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District and the Bureau of Reclamation say they're working to mitigate the effects on the endangered silvery minnow — a shimmery, pinky-sized native fish.
Water users in the Middle Rio Grande have been given notice to anticipate changes in availability and delivery schedules soon.
Due to a higher-than-normal irrigation demand and lower than expected natural river flow, the conservancy district began releasing water on July 17 from the San Juan-Chama Project, which brings water from the Colorado River Basin into the Rio Grande Basin via a system of diversion dams, tunnels, channels and other infrastructure. About 40% of the current irrigation supply is from project storage releases, with the rest from natural river flow.
Irrigation district officials expect water from the project to run out before Aug. 23, leaving them to rely solely on natural flows to continue making water deliveries through the fall.
“The lack of rainfall is difficult on its own, coupled with the challenges of not being able to store water for summer releases, is disheartening, but we are doing our best to work with water users in the middle Rio Grande Valley to
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