Albuquerque District Rio Grande Reservoir Symposium Federal Perspective Upper Rio Grande Operations Model and URWOPS Update April Sanders Project Manager 1
Why are we doing this? Upper Rio Grandè Basin Water Operations Model Upper Rio Grandè Basin Water Operations Review & EIS 2
Heron Reservoir US Army Corps Colorado New Mexico 25+ Hydrology Years El Vado Reservoir Rio Grande Abiquiu Reservoir Rio Chama Cochiti Lake Jemez Canyon Reservoir Otowi Santa Fe Albuquerque Elephant Butte Reservoir Acre-Feet 2500000 2000000 1500000 1000000 500000 0 1975 1977 1979 Otowi Index 1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 Year 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 4
PERSPECTIVE Average Annual-Mean Value 250000 200000 191456 CFS 150000 100000 97227 50000 0 Columbia River @ Dalles, OR Ohio River @ Cincinnatti 15119 Colorado River @ Lee's Ferry, AZ 1509 Rio Grande @ Otowi 5
PHYSICAL SETTING It is ~125 desert miles (5-7 days) from Cochiti Dam to San Marcial lined with thirsty riparians At least 50 cfs must reach San Marcial Open water evaporation, and crop and riparian transpiration (consumption) vary constantly, BUT 67% of FLOW Over-released water evaporates at a higher rate in lower reservoirs and is unavailable for late season flow support and contract deliveries 6
LEGAL/POLITICAL SETTING New Mexico water law is based on the Prior Appropriation doctrine first in time = first right to beneficial use. The Rio Grande and its tributaries are over-appropriated and unadjudicated (NO WATER RIGHTS EXIST). New Mexico is a member of the Rio Grande Compact with Colorado and Texas each receive a portion of the Rio Grande flow on an annual basis. All waters are the property of the State of New Mexico under the jurisdiction of the State Engineer s Office. Indian Prior and Paramount, contracted water and the BiOp water must be delivered and accounted for. 7
Situation Summary Rio Grande is an ephemeral stream Very little surface water supply relative to the other 17 western states Indian water management and accounting Compact restrictions on storage ESA requirements for surface flow Complex surface water - groundwater Highly variable significant ET depletions 8
An integrative approach to system-wide modeling - Rio Grande modeled with RiverWare Software - Four Daily Time-Step Models: Accounting, Forecasting, Water Operations, & Planning - Physical modeling, reservoirs, reaches, diversions, etc. -16 Accounts of trans-basin water (San Juan-Chama) -NRCS/NWS coordinated spring-runoff forecasts -Rio Grande Compact Lite helps see Article VII status -Operational Rules on how to operate reservoirs (releases) so more than one model 9
The Strengths of the Model Reach 1 (with losses and lags) Inflow Accounting Upper Reservoir Outflow Decisions Accounting Middle Reservoir Outflow Decisions Reach 3 (with losses and lags) Accounting Lower Reservoir Outflow Decisions Conditions Information Conditions Information Conditions Information Information is shared between reservoirs - they work together All water sources and demands are brought together Predict downstream flows Release decisions are made just as if by water managers Complex accounting included Regulations, policies, preferences, are automatically enacted New ideas can be tried in the model without risking actually doing it Reports are automatic, detailed, and can be customized Tool for Biological Opinion compliance 10
URGWOPS Scoping Process of Initial Alternatives Proposed operations are within existing authorities Alternatives are physically possible Flexibilities identified as follows: Heron Reservoir waivers Abiquiu Reservoir native water storage Channel capacities below Abiquiu and Cochiti Diversions to the Low Flow Conveyance Channel Flood control operations: Elephant Butte & Caballo Public scoping helped refine alternatives Alternatives Screened Against Threshold Criteria Provides safe dam and flood control operations Meets downstream delivery requirements mandated by the Rio Grande Compact and international treaty with Mexico Meets contracted water delivery requirements 12
Detailed Analysis of Alternatives: EIS Decision Hierarchy 6 out of 21 alternatives met threshold criteria and were forwarded for detailed analysis Heron Waivers - September 30 Meets Ecosystem Needs Alternative B-3 Abiquiu Storage - 180,000 AF Abiquiu Channel Capacity - 1,500 cfs Cochiti Channel Capacity - 8,500 cfs Provides Operating Flexibility Heron Waivers - August 31 Alternative D-3 Abiquiu Storage - 180,000 AF Abiquiu Channel Capacity - 2,000 cfs Preserves Water Quality Heron Waivers - September 30 Alternative E-3 Abiquiu Storage - 180,000 AF Cochiti Channel Capacity - 10,000 cfs Provides Sediment Management Alternative I-1 Abiquiu Storage - 20,000 AF Select Alternative Preserves Indian Trust Assets LFCC Diversion - 0 to 500 cfs Preserves Cultural Resources Alternative I-2 Abiquiu Storage - 75,000 AF LFCC Diversion - 0 to 1,000 cfs Preserves Desired Land Uses Alternative I-3 Abiquiu Storage - 180,000 AF Heron Waivers - April 30 Preserves Recreational Uses Abiquiu Storage - 0 AF No Abiquiu Channel Capacity - 1,800 cfs Alternative is Fair & Equitable Action Cochiti Channel Capacity - 7,000 cfs LFCC Diversions - 0-2,000 cfs Elephant Butte/Caballo - Improved Coordination Improved Communications 13
Native Storage at US Army Corps Abiquiu Reservoir The water operations team looked at the feasibility of storing native water in various amounts ranging from 20,000 af to 200,000 af. The proposed action is for storage of native flow during the spring runoff period. Storage would be limited by the amount of storage available that is not being used for San Juan-Chama water. The water would be stored when native flow exceed downstream demands and when New Mexico is in compliance with the Rio Grande Compact. Combined SJ-C and native water cannot exceed elevation 6220 feet. 14
Native Storage at US Army Corps Abiquiu Reservoir Abiquiu Average Annual Pool Elevation (Model Year 1-40) 6,240 6,220 Feet above mean sea level 6,200 6,180 6,160 6,140 6,120 Base Run B-3 D-3 E-3 I-1 I-2 I-3 6,100 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023 2025 2027 2029 2031 2033 2035 2037 2039 2041 15
Abiquiu Abiquiu Storage Evaluation US Army Corps of Engineers Activities evaluated for fatal flaws: Meet irrigation demands SJ-C deliveries met Minimize flood damages Pool elevations don t impact rafting take-out May reduce peak discharge below Abiquiu Reduction in channel capacity Sediment transport Spawning flows Bank erosion Carry-over storage at Cochiti 16
2,500,000 2,000,000 1,500,000 1,000,000 500,000 0 Abiquiu Storage Evaluation Alternatives: Cumulative Annual Abiquiu Conservation Storage Cumulative Storage based on Annual July 1 Conservation Storage 17 1 (82) 2 (88) 3 (92) 4 (76) 5 (89) 6 (96) 7 (77) 8 (89) 9 (89) 10 (81) 11 (96) 12 (96) 13 (77) 14 (88) 15 (87) 16 (75) 17 (98) 18 (76) 19 (75) 20 (78) 21 (78) 22 (98) 23 (99) 24 (86) 25 (99) 26 (91) 27 (80) 28 (92) 29 (85) 30 (98) 31 (78) 32 (98) 33 (76) 34 (91) 35 (89) 36 (84) 37 (92) 38 (88) 39 (82) Planning Year (Hydrologic Year) Accumulated conservation storage over the 40-year model runs. Alternative B-3 has the most and I-1 with the least. The difference between alternatives B-3, D-3, E-3 and I-3 is relative small over the 40-years. B-3 D-3 E-3 I-1 I-2 I-3 BR Accumulated Storage in Acre-Feet
Conservation Storage and US Army Corps carryover provisions Alternative B3 provided gains in fish habitat area using native conservation storage water to meet flow targets. Additional flexibility under B3 was analyzed by allowing certain carryover amounts from the previous years, assisting in meeting flow targets under dryer conditions. Conservation Storage - Alternative B-3 A = 40KAF/25%CO B=75KAF/25%CO C=40KAF/50%CO D=75KAF/50%CO B-3 (A) B-3 (B) B-3 ( C) B-3 (D) 33 32 34 37 36 35 38 39 40 1.00 0.80 0.60 0.40 0.20 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 31 0.00 11 30 12 29 13 28 14 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 15 16 17 18
Conservation Storage US Army Corps Results A frequency analysis of conservation storage in Abiquiu Reservoir conducted over the 40-year planning period for all action alternatives indicates that the opportunity to store conservation water would occur 21 of 40 years and opportunities to store more than 100,000 AF would occur about 35 percent of the time. Native conservation storage was identified as water that could possibly be stored and used for the benefit of endangered species, ecosystem management, Compact deliveries, etc. Specifics regarding the release, year-to-year carryover, and other use of this water remain to be defined by specific agreement for storage in Abiquiu. The Corps anticipates, based on the Record of Decision for this EIS, taking the federal lead in pursuing a process for native storage in Abiquiu. 19
Actions identified outside of US Army Corps the EIS Scope Greater utilization of Abiquiu Reservoir (wet water bank) Coordinate water supply operations at Elephant Butte and Caballo Reservoirs with the Middle Rio Grande Storage of native water at Heron Reservoir Use of Cochiti Lake for other than Authorized purposes Use of Jemez Canyon Dam for other than Authorized purposes 20
Questions? 21