Surface water discharge and evapotranspiration rates for grass and bare soil along a reach of the Rio Grande, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 1989-95

Abstract

The surface-water hydrologic system of the Rio Grande in the Albuquerque, New Mexico, area is composed of the Rio Grande; irrigation drains, laterals, canals, and ditches; evapotranspiration; and ground-water recharge. Two east-west cross sections were established to measure surface water entering the study area (north section) and exiting the study area (south section). Data for the calculation of surface-water discharge were collected once every 4 to 8 weeks from August 1989 through February 1995. Discharge of the Rio Grande at the north section ranged from 22 to 5,900 cubic feet per second. Discharge of the Rio Grande at the south section ranged from 21 to 6,060 cubic feet per second. Data from six areas (three grass-covered areas and three bare-soil areas) were collected for the calculation of evapotranspiration rates from February 1990 through August 1991. The evapotranspiration rate from the grass-covered areas ranged from 0.15 to 4.7 millimeters per day; the evapotranspiration rate from the bare-soil areas ranged from 0.13 to 6.4 millimeters per day. INTRODUCTION The surface-water hydrologic system within the Rio Grande flood plain in the Albuquerque, New Mexico, area has undergone many changes through the years. The Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District (MRGCD) was created in 1925 to control floods and lower the water table to prevent waterlogging of irrigated lands along the valley. The MRGCD constructed hundreds of miles of interior and riverside drains, levees, and irrigation diversion dams. The Albuquerque Metropolitan Arroyo Rood Control Authority (AMAFCA), created in 1963, constructed several detention dams and conveyance channels on the terraces and alluvial fans that the City of Albuquerque has developed (Crawford and others, 1993). These structures constructed by the MRGCD and AMAFCA allow for runoff to be either directly or indirectly discharged into the Rio Grande and have complicated the interaction between the surface-water and ground-water systems. Further complicating this interaction between the surface-water and ground-water systems is the conversion of irrigated lands to urban development. A greater understanding of the surface-water hydrologic system needs to be established so that the City of Albuquerque can develop the most efficient and productive management of its water resources. Purpose and Scope This report presents a summary of surface-water discharge from the major surface-water components in the flood plain along a reach of the Rio Grande in the Albuquerque, New Mexico, area. Data used for the calculation of surface-water discharge were collected from August 1989 through February 1995. Also contained in this report are evapotranspiration rates calculated from three grass-covered areas and three bare-soil areas on the Rio Grande. Evapotranspiration rates are presented for 14 months from February 1990 through August 1991. Physical Setting The Albuquerque Basin, located in central New Mexico (fig. 1), covers approximately 3,060 square miles. The land-surface altitude in the basin ranges from about 6,500 feet above sea level in the northern part of the basin to about 4,800 feet in the southern part of the basin. The eastern boundary of the basin has the greatest topographic relief and is defined by the Sandia, Manzanita, Manzano, and Los Pinos Mountains. The western boundary has little topographic relief and is defined by Mesa Lucero, Sierra Lucero, and Ladron Peak. The convergence of the structural eastern and western boundaries forms the northern and southern boundaries. The Rio Grande and its associated flood-plain deposits trend in a north-to-south direction in the central part of the Albuquerque Basin. The city of Albuquerque is on the east and west banks of the Rio Grande within the central part of the basin. Directly east of Albuquerque the Sandia Mountains rise to an altitude greater than 10,000 feet above sea level. West of Albuquerque the topography has an average altitude of more than 5,000 feet and is characterized as generally flat with several volcanic features and dune fields (Kernodle and others, 1987).