2020 Lower Rio Chama Water Master Report

O F F I C E O F T H E S T A T E E N G I N E E R O F N E W M E X I C O

2020 Lower Rio Chama Water Master Report

District VI, Santa Fe, NM

John Mumm

S T A T E O F N E W M E X I C O O F F I C E O F T H E S T A T E E N G I N E E R

District VI Office, Santa Fe, NM

JOHN R. D’ANTONIO JR., P.E. PO Box 25102 STATE ENGINEER Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501-5102

PHONE: (505) 827-6120 FAX: (505) 827-6682

March 23, 2021

John R. D’Antonio Jr., P.E. 120 South Capitol Street Concha Ortiz y Pino Building P.O. Box 25102 Santa Fe, NM 87504-5105

Mr. D’Antonio,

I am pleased to submit the following Report of Water Master Activities on the Lower Rio Chama during the 2020 irrigation season.

Sincerely-

John Mumm Lower Rio Chama Water Master Water Rights Division

2020 Lower Rio Chama Water Master Report 2020

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Table of Contents Table of Figures .................................................................................................................................................................. iii

List of Table.......................................................................................................................................................................... v

INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................................................... 1

AUTHORITY ........................................................................................................................................................................... 2

GENERAL PHYSIOGRAPHIC, CLIMATIC AND PRECIPITATION INFORMATION ........................................................................ 2

Rio Chama Basin Snow and Precipitation Summaries ....................................................................................................... 3

2020 Irrigation Season: ......................................................................................................................................................... 7

Water Supply- ................................................................................................................................................................... 7

Precipitation: ................................................................................................................................................................ 7

Stream Flows: ............................................................................................................................................................... 8

Acequia Data Collection-................................................................................................................................................. 15

2020 SEASON NARRATIVE ............................................................................................................................................... 15

STATION TABLES AND GRAPHS ....................................................................................................................................... 15

Chamita....................................................................................................................................................................... 17

Salazar......................................................................................................................................................................... 19

Hernandez .................................................................................................................................................................. 21

Chili ............................................................................................................................................................................. 23

Martinez Y Duranes .................................................................................................................................................... 25

Manzanares Y Montoya .............................................................................................................................................. 27

Tierra Azul ................................................................................................................................................................... 29

La Puente .................................................................................................................................................................... 31

Valentine Martinez ..................................................................................................................................................... 33

Quintana ..................................................................................................................................................................... 35

Gonzales ..................................................................................................................................................................... 37

JP Gonzales ................................................................................................................................................................. 39

Abeyta Trujillo ............................................................................................................................................................. 41

Mariano ...................................................................................................................................................................... 43

Ferran ......................................................................................................................................................................... 45

JV Martinez ................................................................................................................................................................. 47


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Rio De Chama.............................................................................................................................................................. 49

Total Diversion, Precipitation, and Max Diversion .......................................................................................................... 51

Crop Irrigation Water Requirements and Total Diversion............................................................................................... 52

2020 Season Overview ....................................................................................................................................................... 54

Administration ................................................................................................................................................................ 55

Meetings ......................................................................................................................................................................... 58

Enforcement ................................................................................................................................................................... 58

Status of the Basin .............................................................................................................................................................. 59

Data Equipment .............................................................................................................................................................. 59

Diversions and Headworks.............................................................................................................................................. 60

Conservation/Improvements .......................................................................................................................................... 60

Future Goals and Development .......................................................................................................................................... 60

Addendums ........................................................................................................................................................................ 63

A. SWE ......................................................................................................................................................................... 63

B. Precipitation, Effective Precipitation, and Estimated 2019 Alfalfa IWR .................................................................. 63

Precipitation ............................................................................................................................................................... 63

Effective Precipitation ................................................................................................................................................. 63

2020 Estimated IWR ................................................................................................................................................... 64

C. OSE Diversion Provisional Data Processing ............................................................................................................. 66

D. USGS Hydrographs .................................................................................................................................................. 66


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Table of Figures Figure 1- Lower Rio Chama Map (Location of Mainstream Acequias) .................................................................................. 3

Figure 2- Snow Water Equivalent (SWE) Percentage and amount for the Rio Chama for 2020 season, produced by

Lundahl NMISC. .................................................................................................................................................................... 5

Figure 3- May 1, 2020 SWE % Map of Basins ........................................................................................................................ 6

Figure 4- 2020 Precipitation Totals and Effective Precipitation compared to the monthly normal levels of the area. ......... 8

Figure 5- La Puente USGS gage station Hydrograph of Daily Mean Flows, 2020. ............................................................... 10

Figure 6- La Puente USGS gage station Total Volume Yielded during 2020 Irrigation Season, compared to past data ...... 10

Figure 7- Above Abiquiu Reservoir USGS gage station Hydrograph of Daily Mean Flows, 2020. ........................................ 11

Figure 8- Above Abiquiu Reservoir USGS gage station Total Volume Yielded during 2020 Irrigation Season, compared to

past data ............................................................................................................................................................................. 11

Figure 9- Below Abiquiu Reservoir USGS gage station Hydrograph of Daily Mean Flows, 2020. ........................................ 12

Figure 10- Below Abiquiu Reservoir USGS gage station Total Volume Yielded during 2020 Irrigation Season, compared to

past data ............................................................................................................................................................................. 12

Figure 11- Chamita USGS gage station Hydrograph of Daily Mean Flows, 2020. ................................................................ 13

Figure 12- Chamita USGS gage station Total Volume Yielded during 2020 Irrigation Season, compared to past data ....... 13

Figure 13- Ojo Caliente USGS gage station Hydrograph of Daily Mean Flows, 2020........................................................... 14

Figure 14- Ojo Caliente USGS gage station Total Volume Yielded during 2020 Irrigation Season, compared to past data 14

Figure 15- Chamita Daily Mean Diversion Hydrograph, 2020. ............................................................................................ 18

Figure 16- Chamita Total Irrigation Season Diversion, compared with past years .............................................................. 18

Figure 17- Salazar Daily Mean Diversion Hydrograph, 2020. .............................................................................................. 20

Figure 18- Salazar Total Irrigation Season Diversion, compared with past years ................................................................ 20

Figure 19- Hernandez Daily Mean Diversion Hydrograph, 2020. ........................................................................................ 22

Figure 20- Hernandez Total Irrigation Season Diversion, compared with past years .......................................................... 22

Figure 21- Chili Daily Mean Diversion Hydrograph, 2020. .................................................................................................. 24

Figure 22- Chili Total Irrigation Season Diversion, compared with past years .................................................................... 24

Figure 23- Martinez Y Duranes Daily Mean Diversion Hydrograph, 2020. .......................................................................... 26

Figure 24- Martinez Y Duranes Total Irrigation Season Diversion, compared with past years ............................................ 26

Figure 25- Manzanares Y Montoya Daily Mean Diversion Hydrograph, 2020..................................................................... 28

Figure 26- Manzanares Y Montoya Total Irrigation Season Diversion, compared with past years ..................................... 28

Figure 27- Tierra Azul Daily Mean Diversion Hydrograph, 2020. ........................................................................................ 30

Figure 28- Tierra Azul Total Irrigation Season Diversion, compared with past years .......................................................... 30

Figure 29- La Puente Daily Mean Diversion Hydrograph, 2020. ......................................................................................... 32

Figure 30- La Puente Total Irrigation Season Diversion, compared with past years ........................................................... 32

Figure 31- Valentine Martinez Daily Mean Diversion Hydrograph, 2020. ........................................................................... 34

Figure 32- Valentine Martinez Total Irrigation Season Diversion, compared with past years ............................................ 34

Figure 33- Quintana Daily Mean Diversion Hydrograph, 2020. .......................................................................................... 36

Figure 34- Quintana Total Irrigation Season Diversion, compared with past years ............................................................ 36

Figure 35- Gonzales Daily Mean Diversion Hydrograph, 2020. ........................................................................................... 38

Figure 36- Gonzales Total Irrigation Season Diversion, compared with past years............................................................. 38

Figure 37- JP Gonzales Daily Mean Diversion Hydrograph, 2020. ....................................................................................... 40


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Figure 38- JP Gonzales Total Irrigation Season Diversion, compared with past years ........................................................ 40

Figure 39- Abeyta Trujillo Daily Mean Diversion Hydrograph, 2020. .................................................................................. 42

Figure 40- Abeyta Trujillo Total Irrigation Season Diversion, compared with past years .................................................... 42

Figure 41- Mariano Daily Mean Diversion Hydrograph, 2020. ............................................................................................ 44

Figure 42- Mariano Total Irrigation Season Diversion, compared with past years ............................................................. 44

Figure 43- Ferran Daily Mean Diversion Hydrograph, 2020. ............................................................................................... 46

Figure 44- Ferran Total Irrigation Season Diversion, compared with past years................................................................. 46

Figure 45- JV Martinez Daily Mean Diversion Hydrograph, 2020........................................................................................ 48

Figure 46- JV Martinez Total Irrigation Season Diversion, compared with past years ........................................................ 48

Figure 47- Rio De Chama Daily Mean Diversion Hydrograph, 2020. ................................................................................... 50

Figure 48- Rio De Chama Total Irrigation Season Diversion, compared with past years ..................................................... 50

Figure 49- Total Diversion compared to Total Precipitation and Total Effective Precipitation for the 2020 season ........... 51

Figure 50- Total Diverted Flows for Acequias compared to Max Diversion amount for 2020 season ................................ 51

Figure 51- 2020 Monthly Crop Irrigation Water Requirement compared to total monthly amounts diverted in Lower

Chama ................................................................................................................................................................................. 52

Figure 52- 2020 Shortage Sharing and Rotation Schedule. ................................................................................................. 56

Figure 53- 2020 Adjusted Shortage Sharing and Rotation Schedule used late July to end of season. ................................ 57


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List of Table

Table 1-Chamita Daily Mean Discharge for 2020 Irrigation Season .................................................................................... 17

Table 2- Salazar Daily Mean Discharge for 2020 Irrigation Season ..................................................................................... 19

Table 3- Hernandez Daily Mean Discharge for 2020 Irrigation Season ............................................................................... 21

Table 4- Chili Daily Mean Discharge for 2020 Irrigation Season.......................................................................................... 23

Table 5- Martinez Y Duranes Daily Mean Discharge for 2020 Irrigation Season ................................................................. 25

Table 6- Manzanares Y Montoya Daily Mean Discharge for 2020 Irrigation Season........................................................... 27

Table 7- Tierra Azul Daily Mean Discharge for 2020 Irrigation Season ............................................................................... 29

Table 8- La Puente Daily Mean Discharge for 2020 Irrigation Season................................................................................. 31

Table 9- Valentine Martinez Daily Mean Discharge for 2020 Irrigation Season .................................................................. 33

Table 10- Quintana Daily Mean Discharge for 2020 Irrigation Season................................................................................ 35

Table 11- Gonzales Daily Mean Discharge for 2020 Irrigation Season ................................................................................ 37

Table 12- JP Gonzales Daily Mean Discharge for 2020 Irrigation Season ............................................................................ 39

Table 13- Abeyta Trujillo Daily Mean Discharge for 2020 Irrigation Season ....................................................................... 41

Table 14- Mariano Daily Mean Discharge for 2020 Irrigation Season ................................................................................. 43

Table 15- Ferran Daily Mean Discharge for 2020 Irrigation Season .................................................................................... 45

Table 16- JV Martinez Daily Mean Discharge for 2020 Irrigation Season ............................................................................ 47

Table 17- Rio De Chama Daily Mean Discharge for 2020 Irrigation Season ........................................................................ 49


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INTRODUCTION

This report complies with the requirement, as stated in Section 72-3-5 of the New Mexico Water Code that “each water

master shall report to the State Engineer the amount of water needed to supply the requirement of his districts, the

amount available, the works which are without their proper supply, and such other information as the State Engineer may

require. The Reports shall, at the end of each irrigation season, be filed in the Office of the State Engineer (OSE).”

Congress authorized the San Juan-Chama Project (SJCP) in 1962 by Public Law 87-483. The SJCP directs flows from the Rio

Blanco, the Little Navajo River and the Navajo River, tributaries of the upper San Juan River in Colorado, and conveys the

water via a series of tunnels bored through the mountains, to Willow Creek, a tributary of the Rio Chama. Willow Creek

discharges into Heron Reservoir, which is authorized to store only SJCP waters. No native flow in Willow Creek can be

stored in Heron Reservoir and all Willow Creek native flow must pass through the reservoir into the Rio Chama.

SJCP water released from Heron Reservoir is carried by the Rio Chama for eventual delivery to the Rio Grande. There are

seventeen (17) adjudicated points of diversion along the reach of the Rio Chama from El Vado Reservoir to its confluence

with the Rio Grande, and all their water is diverted from the Rio Chama mainstream.

To prevent unauthorized use of imported water by the Rio Chama diversions, water rights under the twenty acequias in

the lower Rio Chama Valley are adjudicated in the Partial Final Judgment and Decree entered in the United States District

Court, State of New Mexico, ex rel., S.E. Reynolds v. Roman Aragon, et. al., Cause No. 7941, for the Rio Chama Mainstream

Section. The appointment of a Rio Chama Watermaster for the administration and enforcement of the Decree was made

on July 26, 1971. By letter dated May 23, 1972, the State Engineer instructed the Rio Chama Watermaster to take such

measures as may be necessary to prevent unauthorized diversion by appropriators from the Rio Chama of SJCP water

released from El Vado Reservoir.

Mr. John Mumm is the recognized and appointed Lower Chama Water Master and Mr. Tyler Lystash is the Upper Chama

Water Master. Mr. Mumm and Mr. Lystash partner and share the water master duties, responsibilities, and administration

of the Lower Rio Chama basin. Mr. Mumm was appointed the Rio Chama Water Master by Court Order through US District

Court for the District of New Mexico on the Adjudication and Partial Final Judgment and Decree of the Main Stream

Section, on June 15, 2020.


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AUTHORITY

The Rio Chama Watermaster serves under the direction of the State Engineer and under the general supervision of the

United State District Court in accordance with the Partial Final Judgment and Decree No. 7941, adjudication of the Rio

Chama Mainstream Section. The Rio Chama Watermaster was appointed Watermaster of the El Rito Section on June 25,

1973.

Mr. George Shaw, one of the previous Watermasters, developed and filed additional Watermaster Rules and Regulations

governing the administration of the Rio Chama adjudication in the U.S. District Court for New Mexico. These Watermaster

Rules and Regulations were issued pursuant to Paragraph 9 of the original Partial Final Judgment and Decree of the

Court. The additional eight articles were approved by the State Engineer and the Court, dated May 30, 1972. Copies of

the Watermaster Rules and Regulations may be obtained from the Legal Services Division, Office of the State Engineer.

GENERAL PHYSIOGRAPHIC, CLIMATIC AND PRECIPITATION INFORMATION

The Rio Chama mainstream section flows 32 miles from the base of Abiquiu Dam to its confluence with the Rio Grande

near Hernandez, NM. This stretch of the Rio Chama arises as a controlled discharge from Abiquiu Dam, a 325-foot high

dam completed in 1963 by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers for flood and sediment control. The reservoir formed by the

dam receives runoff from 2,146 square miles of mountainous watershed along with additional imported water from the

SJCP. Water released from Abiquiu Dam is supplemented by inflow from Abiquiu Creek, El Rito Creek, Rio del Oso, and

the Rio Ojo Caliente to the Rio Chama above the confluence with the Rio Grande. This stretch of the Rio Chama cuts

through the southeastern extension of the Colorado Plateau between the Chama basin to the northwest and the Rio

Grande basin to the southeast. This section of the plateau consists of high mesas intricately dissected by the Rio Chama

and its tributaries. Major geologic formations outcropping in this area are the Ojo Caliente sandstone, Abiquiu tuff, and

Lobato basalt.


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Figure 1- Lower Rio Chama Map (Location of Mainstream Acequias)

Rio Chama Basin Snow and Precipitation Summaries

The 2020 Water Year (WY2020) began with the climate and moisture levels in the basin shown in Figures 2 and 3, below.

The January 1, 2020, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) New Mexico Basin Outlook Report, that reports

SNOTEL data and precipitation at SNOTEL sites, showed precipitation numbers below normal heading into the new year.

Snow Water Equivalent (SWE) in the Rio Chama basin was 122% of the Normal (Normal for SWE is the 30-year median in

a SNOTEL basin). Precipitation for January and February was below average, which dropped the SWE to 82% of normal by

March 1st. Although March precipitation increased compared to the low amounts in January and February, the SWE still

decreased to 73% of normal in the basin by the end of the month due to high temperatures. Low April monthly

precipitation dropped year-to-date precipitation to 65% of average precipitation at elevations of SNOTEL sites. High


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temperatures broke up nearly all the snowpack and precipitation at lower elevations was near 0%. The SWE for the basin

decreased to 4% of median by May 1st. Precipitation decreased during the month of May at SNOTEL elevations and

increased at low elevations in the Lower Chama for the month, most of which was rain. This brought the year-to-date

precipitation to 64% of average. The elevated early season temperatures caused most of the lower elevation snowpack to

break up in March and the higher elevation snowpack to come off at the end of April. 1

Overall, the irrigation season started a bit earlier than usual, but some areas began at normal times due to the wet

conditions from the March and April snow break-up and daily low temperatures close to freezing. The snowpack caused

above average peak flows in late April. After high water, stream flows dropped off quickly, and flows were below the 50

cfs shortage sharing trigger at the La Puente USGS Gage. This resulted in all the Lower Rio Chama acequias to go into a

depletions agreement with MRGCD in early June. After the bought stored water ran out for depletions, all Rio Chama

acequias went into shortage sharing in early July. A wet July allowed for the basin to maintain some useable flows for

shortage sharing, and the use of New Mexico debit water authorized by the Rio Grande Compact Commission helped

Lower Chama irrigators sustain useful flows until the end of the season. Basin precipitation through the summer months

was below normal except for near average rainfall in July and September. Seasonal monsoon precipitation was below

average in September and low in October causing flows to continue to drop off after July’s normal precipitation. Overall,

stream flow for the Rio Chama drainage was significantly below average at approximately 31% of average for the water

year.

As of this writing in late January 2021, the winter snowpack is currently 92% of median but starting to decrease, varying

between 75% and 90%, in the Rio Chama drainage.

1 See addendum A for more information concerning SWE data and sources


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Figure 2- Snow Water Equivalent (SWE) Percentage and amount for the Rio Chama for 2020 season, produced by Lundahl NMISC.

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Figure 3- May 1, 2020 SWE % Map of Basins


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2020 Irrigation Season:

Water Supply-

Precipitation:

The area surrounding the reach of the Rio Chama from the outfall of Abiquiu Dam to its confluence with the Rio Grande

averages annual precipitation of about 10 inches. Approximately 60% of the average yearly precipitation along the

watercourse falls during the period from July through October in the form of brief but occasionally heavy thunderstorms.

Precipitation average during irrigation season is about 8 inches.

Temperatures at Abiquiu Dam are moderately cool with a mean temperature of about 70° F in the summer and 30°

F in the winter. Daytime winter temperatures range from the mid-30s to the mid-40s with an average of only seven days

per year with high temperatures below freezing. Mean average snowfall is 14.4 inches. Daytime summer temperatures

range from the lower 70s to the mid-80s with an average of 21 days per year when temperatures exceed 90° F. 2

Precipitation-2020 Irrigation Season

The following monthly and irrigation season total precipitation data was recorded at Abiquiu Dam during the 2020

irrigation season (April 1 to October 31) by the National Weather Service Forecast Office through the National Oceanic

and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA):

April 0.01”

May 0.23”

June 0.34”

July 1.68”

August 1.12”

September 1.20”

October 0.42”

2020 Irrigation Season Total -----5.00”

Precipitation during the seven months of the 2020 irrigation season was below average. Precipitation of 8.0 inches is

considered an average precipitation amount for the Abiquiu Dam area during irrigation season. The total amount recorded

during the 2020 irrigation season is only 5.00 inches, or 63% of the average. This was mainly caused by a warm dry spring,

early hot summer, minimal monsoon season, and low precipitation through October.

2 See addendum B for more Precipitation and Temperature information and sources


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Precipitation is not always effective for crop growth because if it’s only a small amount of rain it can’t be effectively

adsorbed by the roots of the crop or it is snow that doesn’t soak into the ground but causes runoff due to frost/frozen

soils. Effective Precipitation (EP) is the amount of precipitation that is added and stored in the soil. During dry periods,

less than 0.2 inches of daily rainfall would not be considered effective as this amount of precipitation would likely

evaporate from the surface before soaking into the ground (especially in a semi-arid high desert climate). 3

The equation used by Farmwest, a non-profit providing information and resources to western farmers, provides a good

formula on how to estimate EP. Converting actual precipitation into EP is easy: Zero out snow events and then calculate

as EP = (actual precipitation -0.2)*0.75 in inches. Zero out anything that turns negative in the calculation. Only 75% of

precipitation greater than 0.2 inches is considered effective due to evaporation and runoff losses. This is a simple way to

estimate EP that aligns well with irrigation water requirements (IWR is the amount of water crops require for satisfactory

growth) and average effective precipitation rates. 3

Figure 4- 2020 Precipitation Totals and Effective Precipitation compared to the monthly normal levels of the area.

Stream Flows:

Stream flow is the life of the irrigation water supply for the Lower Chama. Hydrographs were produced for the significant

USGS stations located on the Lower Chama including major tributaries. The irrigation season accumulated flow totals

were compared to the 30-year irrigation season average accumulated flow totals (1991-2020), including historical average

3 See addendum B for more Effective Precipitation (EP) information and sources

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2020 Precipitation in the Lower Chama (Abiquiu Dam, NM weather station)

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Effective Precipitation (inches)

Monthly Normal Precipitation(1981-2010)

Average Effective Precipitation(inches)


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flows to compare with this year’s flows. As shown, all USGS stations indicate below average flows for the 2020 irrigation

season.

The hydrograph of the water supply for the 2020 irrigation season as recorded at the USGS Gage at La Puente is included

for reference in this report. USGS La Puente Gage #08284100 is used to determine the amount of inflow of native water

available to the acequias below Abiquiu Dam. Early season releases from Abiquiu Reservoir were low due to the low

amount of available snowmelt water, and the need to store water in El Vado in anticipation of short supply later in the

season. From April to July the releases were above 1,000 cfs in mid-June and July, and never near the maximum channel

capacity of 1,800 cfs (defined by the Corps of Engineers in accordance with the Bureau of Reclamation (BoR) water

operations). The Lower Chama area below Abiquiu Reservoir had no flood problems like what has occurred in the past

when releasing the 1,800 cfs channel capacity.

Tributary inflow from El Rito Colorado, El Rio de Ojo Caliente, El Rio del Oso, and other small tributaries had below normal

snowmelt runoff into the Rio Chama in March and April. The tributaries weren’t monitored to balance the Abiquiu Dam

releases to lessen flooding and stay within the river channel capacity as during a normal snow season but were monitored

to meet demand by the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District (MRGCD). Unlike previous years, no property owners

complained to State or Federal agencies about flooding and property damage due to the 1,800 cfs releases from the dam.

Abiquiu Reservoir is forbidden by Congress to store native Rio Chama water, except under flood operations, and the slight

snowpack did not necessitate evacuation of large amounts of native Rio Chama water.

Flows at the USGS La Puente Gage dropped below 50 cfs in mid-June, and according to the shortage sharing agreement

administered by OSE under Active Water Resource Management (AWRM), the 50 cfs flow at the USGS La Puente Gage

triggers AWRM actions for Lower Chama ditches. In accordance with a depletions management agreement between the

Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District (MRGCD) and the Rio Chama Acequia Association (RCAA), the Lower Chama

acequias used purchased SJCP water to supplement low flows and avoid shortage sharing until mid-July, when MRGCD

stored water ran out.

Hydrographs from the USGS stations Above Abiquiu Reservoir, Below Abiquiu Dam, Chamita, and Ojo Caliente at La

Madera present a broader view of the flows that were moving through the system and entering the Rio Chama from the

large tributaries during the season (see Figures 5 through 14). 4

4 See addendum D for more USGS station information and sources


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Figure 5- La Puente USGS gage station Hydrograph of Daily Mean Flows, 2020.

Figure 6- La Puente USGS gage station Total Volume Yielded during 2020 Irrigation Season, compared to past data

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Daily Mean Flow Hydrograph Rio Chama Near La Puente, NM #08284100

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IRRIGATION YEAR

Rio Chama Near La Puente, NM #08284100STREAM FLOW FOR WATER YEARS 1991-2020 30 YEAR AVERAGE = 211,956 ACRE-FEET 65 YEAR AVERAGE 1956-2020 = 215,734 ACRE-FEET


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Figure 7- Above Abiquiu Reservoir USGS gage station Hydrograph of Daily Mean Flows, 2020.

Figure 8- Above Abiquiu Reservoir USGS gage station Total Volume Yielded during 2020 Irrigation Season, compared to past data

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Daily Mean Flow Hydrograph Rio Chama Above Abiquiu Reservoir, NM #08286500

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IRRIGATION YEAR

Rio Chama Above Abiquiu Reservoir, NM #08286500STREAM FLOW FOR WATER YEARS 1991-2020 30 YEAR AVERAGE = 289,450 ACRE-FEET 50 YEAR AVERAGE 1971-2020 = 290,355 ACRE-FEET


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Figure 9- Below Abiquiu Reservoir USGS gage station Hydrograph of Daily Mean Flows, 2020.

Figure 10- Below Abiquiu Reservoir USGS gage station Total Volume Yielded during 2020 Irrigation Season, compared to past data

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Daily Mean Flow Hydrograph Rio Chama Below Abiquiu Dam, NM #08287000

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IRRIGATION YEAR

Rio Chama Below Abiquiu Dam, NM #08287000STREAM FLOW FOR WATER YEARS 1991-2020 30 YEAR AVERAGE = 296,965 ACRE-FEET 50 YEAR AVERAGE 1971-2020= 294,374 ACRE-FEET


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Figure 11- Chamita USGS gage station Hydrograph of Daily Mean Flows, 2020.

Figure 12- Chamita USGS gage station Total Volume Yielded during 2020 Irrigation Season, compared to past data

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Daily Mean Flow Hydrograph Rio Chama Near Chamita, NM #08290000

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Rio Chama Near Chamita, NM #08290000STREAM FLOW FOR WATER YEARS 1991-2020 30 YEAR AVERAGE = 316,213 ACRE-FEET 50 YEAR AVERAGE 1971-2020 = 314, 733 ACRE-FEET


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Figure 13- Ojo Caliente USGS gage station Hydrograph of Daily Mean Flows, 2020.

Figure 14- Ojo Caliente USGS gage station Total Volume Yielded during 2020 Irrigation Season, compared to past data

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Daily Mean Flow Hydrograph Rio Ojo Caliente at La Madera, NM #08289000

30 Year Average

0

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IRRIGATION YEAR

Rio Ojo Caliente at La Madera, NM #08289000STREAM FLOW FOR WATER YEARS 1991-2020 30 YEAR AVERAGE = 30,356 ACRE-FEET 88 YEAR AVERAGE 1933-2020= 32,301 ACRE-


~ 15 ~

Acequia Data Collection-

2020 SEASON NARRATIVE

RCAA ditches experienced a significantly below average irrigation year on the Lower Chama. Tributaries also had very low

flows that dried up by mid-June. Due to above normal July precipitation events, releases of New Mexico Rio Grande

Compact debit water by special agreement with the New Mexico State Engineer and the Rio Grande Compact Commission,

releases of RCAA-purchased imported SJCP water, and some minimal precipitation input during monsoon season, water

supply was capable of maintaining sufficient flows until diminishing in the latter months of the season. The 2020 irrigation

season started with an average amount of available native water due to below average snowpack that melted out early

in March and April. Large storage demands by MRGCD in El Vado also limited the available native flow for the Lower

Chama. Native river flows dropped below 50 cfs in mid-June, but the depletion agreement between RCAA and MRGCD

and releases of stored water kept irrigation as normal until mid-July. Once stored water releases and purchased

supplemental water ran out for the Lower Chama AWRM shortage sharing and rotation started in mid-July and continued

through October. Shortage Sharing started with all RCAA ditches being turned off due to non-availability of native flow.

Heavy rain events in July combined with the release of the special Rio Grande Compact water and curtailment operation

in the Upper Rio Chama kept flows up enough that RCAA acequias could take below average amounts of irrigation water.

The irrigation season ended with a very minimal monsoon season. Throughout the 2020 irrigation season, Rio Chama

Water Masters and District VI staff monitored water supply and diversions, actively applying alternative administration on

the Lower Chama during July through October. Overall, water supply for the season was well below average for irrigation

needs.

STATION TABLES AND GRAPHS

Data was collected throughout the summer, broadcasted via radio real-time system, and published on the OSE Real Time

Measurement System (RTMS) website. The data used in this report is Field Station Collected Data (FSCD). The data was

gathered in November, at the end of the irrigation season, from the field station data loggers and processed as provisional

data. Each station has a Daily Mean Discharge Table, Graph, and Total Irrigation Diversion Graph comparing it to past

years. Some stations are newer and appropriately have a shorter period of record for comparison. Provisional data

corrections were done throughout the season to correct for data logger field adjustments, missing data, incorrect flow

data points, shifts via FlowTracker measurements, flushing and maintenance usage, and notes of stagnant water in the

station flume. All corrections were based on irrigation season notes. Collected raw data was left as is unless field

corrections were noted and implemented based on notes, phone calls, and/or emails from mayordomos, gate operators,

or other OSE staff. Corrections using estimation of daily flows, also was done due to inaccurate data caused by

station/sensor issues at Chamita. The collected October Chamita Station data was estimated because leaves covered the


~ 16 ~

sensor and altered readings. Data was estimated and corrected using the down-ditch Yungeh gage data with an additional

15% to the daily mean collected due up ditch irrigation, ditch leakage and losses. Days this was performed are noted with

“RED” daily mean numbers in the Table below (Table 1). Data disclaimer for the station tables and graphs: “Total diversion

and daily mean data did not account for ditch returns or any irrigation backup into the station flume that was not called

in or noted throughout the summer.” No adjustments were made to the provisional data unless the change was justified

by communication with ditch operator or station notes. RTMS station data are presented in the following Tables 1 through

17, and corresponding data graphs in Figures 13 through 48.5

5 See addendum C for more data processing information and sources


~ 17 ~

Chamita Table 1-Chamita Daily Mean Discharge for 2020 Irrigation Season

APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT

1 0.00 5.59 8.50 18.10 18.61 2.69 4.27

2 0.00 6.22 8.55 16.96 18.36 5.28 2.76

3 0.00 6.37 8.08 18.16 7.20 6.78 2.81

4 0.00 6.29 8.76 19.28 0.51 7.42 2.31

5 0.00 6.01 7.87 19.29 0.00 8.90 4.98

6 0.00 5.71 8.24 19.18 9.28 6.83 9.11

7 0.00 6.34 8.02 19.23 16.02 12.11 3.37

8 3.82 6.45 7.97 19.12 15.35 8.60 5.09

9 7.30 3.19 8.75 17.94 13.70 1.21 6.99

10 7.22 6.24 8.38 19.19 5.04 5.03 7.76

11 7.24 7.56 8.33 19.80 8.71 12.84 9.36

12 7.11 8.34 6.48 19.86 11.69 14.70 3.35

13 7.07 8.05 5.27 18.32 10.13 12.68 0.00

14 6.90 8.06 17.70 18.55 10.35 4.78 0.00

15 6.41 7.72 18.34 19.30 11.33 8.59 3.65

16 6.48 7.95 18.46 9.43 9.97 4.48 4.14

17 6.53 8.02 18.86 0.00 8.58 10.52 5.04

18 6.71 8.06 17.81 0.00 9.48 17.40 2.42

19 6.97 8.31 19.55 3.72 3.22 16.50 4.94

20 6.92 8.11 18.90 13.73 6.61 14.96 5.90

21 6.97 7.38 18.54 12.34 9.44 3.84 7.32

22 7.02 7.94 19.56 9.09 10.15 6.09 5.91

23 6.90 8.22 19.78 12.86 10.08 11.55 0.05

24 7.10 8.33 18.90 10.37 8.70 11.30 1.37

25 6.05 7.95 17.38 11.00 8.17 10.08 1.51

26 6.33 7.48 17.18 11.79 2.62 9.11 3.84

27 6.48 8.03 18.54 3.17 6.61 8.56 8.20

28 6.64 8.32 19.49 1.40 10.86 7.46 10.76

29 6.23 8.65 18.27 15.58 9.87 8.59 15.15

30 5.23 8.79 18.57 16.59 7.78 2.53 13.49

31 8.64 16.65 7.68 12.61

CFS DAYS 152 228 419 430 286 261.4 168.43

MEAN 5.05 7.37 13.97 13.87 9.23 8.71 5.43

MAX 7.3 8.8 19.8 19.9 18.6 17.4 15.2

MIN 0.00 3.19 5.27 0.00 0.00 1.21 0.00

ACRE-FEET 301 453 831 853 567 518.4 334.0

Total CFS Days = 1,945 Total Acre-Feet = 3,857

ChamitaDaily Discharges in Cubic Feet per Second


~ 18 ~

Figure 15- Chamita Daily Mean Diversion Hydrograph, 2020.

Figure 16- Chamita Total Irrigation Season Diversion, compared with past years

0.00

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10.00

15.00

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25.00

4/1/2020 5/11/2020 6/20/2020 7/30/2020 9/8/2020 10/18/2020

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2020 Chamita Daily Mean Diversion

Max Diversion Amount

51%56%

35%41%

45%51%

Max Diversion amount

6 Year average Diversion

0

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7000

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9000

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

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~ 19 ~

Salazar Table 2- Salazar Daily Mean Discharge for 2020 Irrigation Season


1 0.67 13.10 13.79 12.53 14.29 0.00 6.37

2 0.84 12.44 13.70 12.08 12.19 0.00 9.07

3 0.88 12.97 13.59 12.70 3.65 4.82 7.90

4 0.86 12.99 13.47 13.37 0.00 6.63 7.75

5 0.91 13.74 13.19 13.61 0.00 5.51 2.43

6 1.08 14.17 13.38 13.19 8.59 4.89 0.00

7 8.53 13.61 13.44 13.09 13.14 1.84 0.00

8 3.79 13.69 13.15 13.07 11.99 0.00 4.96

9 9.43 14.93 12.34 13.32 9.01 0.00 6.93

10 13.82 15.53 12.28 13.34 0.00 7.82 6.56

11 14.22 16.78 12.17 14.58 0.00 11.68 5.85

12 14.28 16.64 12.03 14.36 0.00 11.88 2.29

13 14.25 13.64 12.35 14.55 7.49 12.10 0.00

14 13.53 13.32 12.47 14.59 9.79 3.99 0.00

15 12.75 13.15 12.50 14.51 8.85 0.00 4.30

16 12.54 13.58 12.43 4.95 9.49 0.00 5.74

17 12.91 13.81 12.32 0.00 2.90 7.21 4.90

18 13.25 13.59 12.11 2.36 0.00 12.56 4.39

19 14.26 13.63 12.05 5.70 0.00 12.08 1.23

20 14.44 13.82 11.97 2.09 5.90 10.47 0.00

21 14.88 13.79 11.75 0.00 10.19 3.03 0.00

22 15.29 13.93 14.42 0.00 10.74 0.00 8.05

23 15.16 14.34 14.47 7.53 10.36 0.00 8.03

24 14.55 14.14 12.92 10.48 3.27 6.69 5.26

25 14.31 13.56 13.13 10.42 0.00 9.64 4.47

26 14.22 12.75 13.32 10.67 0.00 8.93 3.86

27 14.12 12.68 13.23 2.49 6.76 8.12 3.29

28 13.91 13.07 13.07 0.00 11.27 2.35 3.21

29 13.96 12.56 13.00 8.11 9.48 0.00 2.98

30 13.57 12.33 12.85 12.20 8.57 0.00 2.68

31 12.49 12.43 2.42 2.37

CFS DAYS 321 425 387 292 190 152.2 124.88

MEAN 10.71 13.70 12.90 9.43 6.14 5.07 4.03

MAX 15.3 16.8 14.5 14.6 14.3 12.6 9.1

MIN 0.67 12.33 11.75 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

ACRE-FEET 637 842 767 580 377 301.9 247.6


SalazarDaily Discharges in Cubic Feet per Second


~ 20 ~

Figure 17- Salazar Daily Mean Diversion Hydrograph, 2020.

Figure 18- Salazar Total Irrigation Season Diversion, compared with past years

0.00

2.00

4.00

6.00

8.00

10.00

12.00

14.00

16.00

18.00

4/1/2020 5/11/2020 6/20/2020 7/30/2020 9/8/2020 10/18/2020

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2020 Salazar Daily Mean Diversion


63%

96%

58%

83%

68%



0

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6000

2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

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Salazar Total Diversion


~ 21 ~

Hernandez Table 3- Hernandez Daily Mean Discharge for 2020 Irrigation Season


1 0.00 15.28 14.74 14.43 16.49 0.00 7.42

2 0.00 14.20 14.92 15.41 15.16 0.00 8.68

3 0.00 16.53 16.73 14.70 5.63 3.91 6.64

4 0.00 17.29 15.95 15.23 0.00 4.98 7.00

5 0.00 15.74 14.84 17.17 0.00 4.39 2.12

6 0.00 15.74 16.88 17.17 9.13 3.90 0.00

7 0.00 15.34 18.23 17.11 11.57 0.95 0.00

8 0.00 15.21 15.89 17.49 8.48 0.00 3.56

9 0.00 11.22 14.03 17.24 12.47 0.00 7.31

10 0.00 14.42 14.58 17.69 6.43 5.92 7.26

11 0.00 17.51 17.13 16.94 0.00 12.26 7.31

12 0.00 16.58 15.23 16.87 0.00 14.00 2.04

13 0.00 16.11 20.33 17.60 6.16 14.28 0.00

14 0.00 15.20 11.09 16.79 8.05 4.53 0.00

15 0.00 16.81 17.44 16.24 5.26 0.00 4.11

16 9.28 16.58 8.26 6.75 7.84 0.00 6.25

17 17.02 15.58 9.15 0.00 2.67 6.87 3.74

18 16.81 16.09 13.36 0.00 0.00 13.75 2.19

19 17.30 15.34 13.05 5.56 0.00 13.96 0.00

20 18.11 15.33 13.00 4.84 5.30 11.72 0.00

21 18.25 13.85 11.99 0.00 9.04 0.00 0.00

22 16.56 15.14 14.10 0.00 9.73 0.00 0.00

23 15.79 14.92 16.01 2.37 8.78 0.00 1.75

24 16.14 17.78 16.14 11.55 2.59 5.75 5.18

25 15.61 16.22 14.50 11.31 0.00 9.56 0.00

26 15.42 15.58 16.04 7.90 0.00 8.87 0.00

27 15.95 17.96 14.19 0.00 6.56 8.44 0.00

28 15.26 16.69 13.94 0.00 10.41 2.40 0.00

29 17.33 16.38 16.66 9.12 9.27 0.00 0.00

30 15.48 14.99 15.58 15.48 6.29 0.00 0.00

31 15.25 17.18 0.87 0.00

CFS DAYS 240 487 444 340 184 150.5 82.56

MEAN 8.01 15.71 14.80 10.97 5.94 5.02 2.66

MAX 18.3 18.0 20.3 17.7 16.5 14.3 8.7

MIN 0.00 11.22 8.26 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

ACRE-FEET 477 965 880 674 365 298.3 163.7


HernandezDaily Discharges in Cubic Feet per Second


~ 22 ~

Figure 19- Hernandez Daily Mean Diversion Hydrograph, 2020.

Figure 20- Hernandez Total Irrigation Season Diversion, compared with past years

0.00

5.00

10.00

15.00

20.00

25.00

4/1/2020 5/11/2020 6/20/2020 7/30/2020 9/8/2020 10/18/2020

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2020 Hernandez Daily Mean Diversion


92%

55%

73%

45%

73%

56%



0

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2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

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Hernandez Total Diversion


~ 23 ~

Chili Table 4- Chili Daily Mean Discharge for 2020 Irrigation Season


1 0.00 9.03 8.59 7.57 5.83 3.52 0.00

2 0.00 8.45 8.39 7.06 5.18 1.78 0.00

3 0.00 8.39 8.31 6.78 1.98 0.00 0.00

4 0.00 8.14 8.29 6.90 4.08 0.00 0.00

5 0.00 8.01 8.17 6.82 5.93 0.00 2.17

6 0.00 8.01 8.16 6.65 1.82 0.00 3.05

7 0.00 8.07 8.06 6.98 0.00 0.00 5.15

8 0.00 7.91 7.90 7.65 0.00 0.00 1.92

9 0.00 7.78 7.68 7.36 0.00 2.43 0.00

10 0.00 9.71 7.55 7.62 5.03 1.18 0.00

11 0.00 8.78 7.34 8.88 2.54 5.01 0.00

12 0.00 9.05 7.23 8.95 0.00 2.73 3.70

13 0.00 7.95 7.36 8.92 0.00 0.00 4.80

14 0.00 7.75 7.90 9.29 0.00 5.28 1.50

15 0.00 7.68 8.17 8.99 0.00 8.06 0.00

16 3.34 7.78 8.33 2.89 0.00 6.30 0.00

17 4.98 7.49 8.06 0.00 6.18 1.49 0.00

18 4.65 7.15 11.30 0.00 2.71 0.00 1.32

19 4.10 6.84 10.80 0.00 0.00 0.00 4.35

20 2.78 6.09 8.10 5.11 0.00 0.00 3.49

21 5.86 7.59 7.80 2.01 0.00 5.38 3.51

22 5.65 7.72 7.96 0.00 0.00 8.41 0.99

23 5.35 7.77 7.85 0.00 0.00 2.82 0.00

24 5.17 7.56 7.85 0.00 5.24 0.00 0.00

25 5.22 7.14 7.62 0.00 1.88 0.00 0.00

26 4.98 6.74 8.18 4.02 0.00 0.00 2.24

27 8.08 6.61 8.15 3.21 0.00 0.00 0.00

28 10.03 6.85 7.97 0.00 0.00 3.70 0.00

29 9.98 8.02 7.64 4.58 0.00 1.32 0.00

30 9.65 9.06 7.80 7.68 0.00 0.00 0.00

31 8.62 7.43 3.30 0.00

CFS DAYS 90 244 244 153 52 59.4 38.20

MEAN 2.99 7.86 8.15 4.95 1.67 1.98 1.23

MAX 10.0 9.7 11.3 9.3 6.2 8.4 5.2

MIN 0.00 6.09 7.23 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

ACRE-FEET 178 483 485 304 103 117.8 75.7

Total CFS Days = 881 Total Acre-Feet = 1,747

ChiliDaily Discharges in Cubic Feet per Second


~ 24 ~

Figure 21- Chili Daily Mean Diversion Hydrograph, 2020.

Figure 22- Chili Total Irrigation Season Diversion, compared with past years

0.00

2.00

4.00

6.00

8.00

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4/1/2020 5/11/2020 6/20/2020 7/30/2020 9/8/2020 10/18/2020

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2020 Chili Daily Mean Diversion


65%69%

85%

36%

72%

52%



0

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2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

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~ 25 ~

Martinez Y Duranes Table 5- Martinez Y Duranes Daily Mean Discharge for 2020 Irrigation Season


1 0.00 12.08 15.14 15.04 10.51 2.39 0.00

2 0.00 9.97 15.00 14.68 5.57 0.00 0.00

3 0.00 9.57 14.55 14.29 2.21 0.00 0.00

4 0.00 10.79 14.83 14.29 5.08 0.00 0.00

5 0.00 13.02 14.95 14.77 11.19 0.00 4.08

6 0.00 11.64 14.94 15.10 3.17 0.00 0.89

7 0.00 11.65 14.65 15.14 0.00 0.00 0.00

8 0.00 16.50 14.39 14.98 0.00 0.00 0.00

9 0.00 17.91 14.28 14.84 0.00 0.00 0.00

10 0.00 15.57 14.40 14.72 8.87 0.00 0.00

11 0.00 17.09 14.82 15.44 4.57 9.98 0.00

12 8.75 18.09 14.93 15.49 0.04 7.65 4.49

13 13.22 15.41 15.63 15.61 0.02 0.89 5.91

14 11.88 15.33 16.82 13.34 0.00 11.63 1.81

15 9.69 15.59 15.49 14.48 0.00 13.72 0.00

16 12.20 16.36 14.33 4.95 1.16 9.67 0.00

17 13.80 16.74 15.20 0.00 8.64 2.82 0.00

18 13.66 17.29 16.29 0.00 4.74 0.00 0.00

19 15.85 16.03 15.63 0.00 0.55 0.00 2.59

20 15.61 14.23 14.50 7.27 0.00 0.00 5.33

21 13.98 14.24 14.49 5.22 0.00 5.68 2.73

22 14.13 14.50 14.50 0.00 0.00 3.70 0.00

23 14.21 15.05 14.70 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

24 14.25 15.51 14.92 0.00 3.91 0.00 0.00

25 14.46 15.14 15.09 0.00 3.12 0.00 0.00

26 14.18 14.60 15.07 8.44 0.00 0.00 0.00

27 14.11 14.56 15.13 14.25 0.00 0.00 0.00

28 13.36 14.84 15.07 14.14 0.00 0.00 0.00

29 14.14 14.08 15.03 13.46 0.00 0.00 0.00

30 14.08 14.53 15.04 13.57 0.00 0.00 0.00

31 15.14 13.29 5.18 0.00

CFS DAYS 256 453 450 317 79 68.1 27.82

MEAN 8.52 14.62 14.99 10.22 2.53 2.27 0.90

MAX 15.9 18.1 16.8 15.6 11.2 13.7 5.9

MIN 0.00 9.57 14.28 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

ACRE-FEET 507 898 892 628 156 135.1 55.2


Martinez Y DuranesDaily Discharges in Cubic Feet per Second


~ 26 ~

Figure 23- Martinez Y Duranes Daily Mean Diversion Hydrograph, 2020.

Figure 24- Martinez Y Duranes Total Irrigation Season Diversion, compared with past years

0.00

2.00

4.00

6.00

8.00

10.00

12.00

14.00

16.00

18.00

20.00

4/1/2020 5/11/2020 6/20/2020 7/30/2020 9/8/2020 10/18/2020

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2020 Martinez Y Duranes Daily Mean Diversion


93%

77%

95%

54%

76%

51%



0

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7000

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

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Martinez Y Duranes Total Diversion


~ 27 ~

Manzanares Y Montoya Table 6- Manzanares Y Montoya Daily Mean Discharge for 2020 Irrigation Season


1 0.00 0.08 0.60 1.66 0.00 0.30 0.62

2 0.00 0.38 0.60 1.09 0.00 0.00 0.00

3 0.00 0.70 0.44 0.75 1.02 0.00 0.00

4 0.00 0.52 0.08 0.75 1.58 0.00 0.00

5 0.00 0.70 0.08 0.81 1.39 0.00 0.68

6 1.12 0.93 0.08 1.36 0.00 0.00 0.64

7 1.78 0.92 0.18 1.40 0.00 0.00 0.73

8 1.64 0.81 0.59 1.52 0.00 0.00 0.23

9 1.36 0.90 0.61 1.68 0.00 0.63 0.00

10 0.83 1.66 0.72 1.78 1.06 0.26 0.00

11 0.01 1.77 0.87 1.75 0.40 0.93 0.05

12 0.01 1.74 0.87 1.28 0.00 1.28 0.54

13 0.00 1.04 0.87 0.86 0.00 0.00 0.86

14 0.00 0.01 0.87 0.90 0.00 1.46 0.58

15 0.42 0.95 0.87 1.32 0.00 0.76 0.25

16 1.06 1.09 0.82 0.49 0.00 0.00 0.00

17 0.21 0.33 0.54 0.00 1.12 0.00 0.00

18 0.01 0.29 1.19 0.00 0.45 0.00 0.03

19 0.58 0.18 0.69 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.05

20 1.08 0.16 0.78 0.81 0.00 0.00 0.00

21 0.75 0.76 0.80 0.41 0.00 1.36 0.00

22 1.19 1.61 0.79 0.00 0.00 1.83 0.00

23 1.39 1.31 0.78 0.00 0.00 0.54 0.00

24 1.60 0.71 1.06 0.00 0.86 0.00 0.00

25 1.63 0.86 1.58 0.00 0.39 0.00 0.00

26 1.51 1.65 1.59 0.36 0.00 0.00 0.00

27 1.31 1.66 1.62 0.18 0.00 0.00 0.00

28 1.13 1.69 0.75 0.00 0.00 1.29 0.00

29 0.59 1.64 0.01 0.00 0.00 2.00 0.01

30 0.01 1.28 0.69 0.00 0.00 1.53 0.00

31 0.49 0.00 0.73 0.00

CFS DAYS 21 29 22 21 9 14.2 5.26

MEAN 0.71 0.93 0.73 0.68 0.29 0.47 0.17

MAX 1.78 1.77 1.62 1.78 1.58 2.00 0.86

MIN 0.00 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

ACRE-FEET 42 57 44 42 18 28.1 10.4

Total CFS Days = 122 Total Acre-Feet = 241

Manzanares Y Montoya Daily Discharges in Cubic Feet per Second


~ 28 ~

Figure 25- Manzanares Y Montoya Daily Mean Diversion Hydrograph, 2020.

Figure 26- Manzanares Y Montoya Total Irrigation Season Diversion, compared with past years

0.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

2.50

4/1/2020 5/11/2020 6/20/2020 7/30/2020 9/8/2020 10/18/2020

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2020 Manzanares Y Montoya Daily Mean Diversion


33%36%

45%38%



0

100

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500

600

700

2017 2018 2019 2020

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Manzanares Y Montoya Total Diversion


~ 29 ~

Tierra Azul Table 7- Tierra Azul Daily Mean Discharge for 2020 Irrigation Season


1 0.00 4.98 10.07 9.57 0.00 5.48 0.00

2 0.00 10.16 7.71 7.05 0.00 2.58 0.00

3 0.00 10.05 6.67 7.63 4.26 0.00 0.00

4 0.00 10.25 6.75 5.98 3.96 0.00 0.00

5 0.00 10.31 6.74 5.22 0.00 0.00 0.00

6 0.00 10.22 6.75 5.53 0.00 0.00 0.00

7 0.00 10.20 6.47 5.34 0.00 0.00 0.00

8 0.00 10.24 6.20 5.57 0.00 0.00 0.00

9 0.00 10.87 5.92 5.72 0.00 0.00 0.00

10 0.00 14.11 5.86 5.71 0.00 0.00 0.00

11 0.00 10.73 6.03 6.42 3.28 0.00 0.00

12 0.00 8.17 6.40 6.67 1.49 0.00 0.00

13 0.00 7.53 6.29 6.69 0.00 0.00 0.00

14 0.00 7.73 6.68 7.17 0.00 3.70 0.00

15 0.00 7.85 7.04 7.12 0.00 5.09 0.00

16 0.00 7.23 6.95 1.99 0.00 7.75 0.00

17 0.00 6.92 6.82 0.00 0.00 2.80 0.00

18 0.00 7.11 7.52 0.00 6.27 0.00 0.00

19 0.00 7.65 5.45 0.00 2.73 0.00 0.00

20 10.92 6.79 5.99 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

21 16.13 5.54 6.30 3.74 0.00 0.00 0.00

22 5.21 5.88 6.15 2.35 0.00 0.00 0.00

23 0.00 6.46 6.26 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

24 0.00 8.30 6.95 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

25 0.00 6.36 7.19 0.00 5.01 0.00 0.00

26 0.00 6.13 7.20 0.00 2.36 0.00 0.00

27 0.00 7.27 7.05 4.03 0.00 0.00 0.00

28 0.00 6.80 6.85 5.99 0.00 0.00 0.00

29 0.00 6.51 7.74 2.04 0.00 0.00 0.00

30 0.00 9.08 7.99 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

31 10.07 0.00 0.00 0.00

CFS DAYS 32 258 204 118 29 27.4 0.00

MEAN 1.08 8.31 6.80 3.79 0.95 0.91 0.00

MAX 16.1 14.1 10.1 9.6 6.3 7.7 0.0

MIN 0.00 4.98 5.45 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

ACRE-FEET 64 511 405 233 58 54.3 0.0


Tierra AzulDaily Discharges in Cubic Feet per Second


~ 30 ~

Figure 27- Tierra Azul Daily Mean Diversion Hydrograph, 2020.

Figure 28- Tierra Azul Total Irrigation Season Diversion, compared with past years

0.00

2.00

4.00

6.00

8.00

10.00

12.00

14.00

16.00

18.00

4/1/2020 5/11/2020 6/20/2020 7/30/2020 9/8/2020 10/18/2020

Dai

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Dates

2020 Tierra Azul Daily Mean Diversion


50% 52%

90%

52%

79%

45%



0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Div

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(A

cre

-Fe

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Water Year

Tierra Azul Total Diversion


~ 31 ~

La Puente Table 8- La Puente Daily Mean Discharge for 2020 Irrigation Season


1 0.00 0.64 2.30 5.26 0.00 1.84 0.00

2 0.00 2.23 3.64 4.97 0.00 1.12 0.00

3 0.00 2.17 3.77 4.24 0.51 0.00 0.00

4 0.00 2.17 2.33 4.47 2.88 0.00 0.00

5 0.00 2.17 1.72 2.91 2.90 0.00 0.00

6 0.00 2.12 1.06 2.79 1.16 0.00 0.88

7 0.00 2.09 1.06 2.35 0.00 0.00 0.64

8 0.00 2.06 1.18 2.46 0.00 0.00 0.00

9 0.00 2.35 1.16 2.70 0.00 0.00 0.00

10 0.00 3.45 1.02 2.56 0.00 0.00 0.00

11 0.00 4.03 0.92 3.12 2.07 0.80 0.00

12 0.00 4.64 1.11 3.45 1.37 0.49 0.00

13 0.00 4.59 1.45 4.33 0.00 0.00 0.00

14 0.00 4.47 2.10 3.86 0.00 0.00 0.00

15 0.00 4.54 2.57 3.46 0.00 1.88 0.00

16 0.00 4.69 2.94 1.35 0.00 4.97 0.00

17 0.00 5.61 3.58 0.00 0.00 2.45 0.00

18 0.00 5.84 3.40 0.00 2.42 0.00 0.00

19 0.00 6.13 3.75 0.00 1.29 0.00 0.00

20 0.00 6.15 4.29 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

21 0.00 6.09 4.64 0.42 0.00 0.00 0.00

22 0.00 6.16 4.49 0.99 0.00 2.11 0.00

23 0.00 6.49 4.48 0.00 0.00 2.00 0.00

24 0.00 4.61 4.39 0.00 0.00 0.15 0.00

25 0.00 2.88 4.08 0.00 2.32 0.00 0.00

26 0.00 2.66 4.47 0.00 1.23 0.00 0.00

27 0.00 2.39 4.66 1.43 0.00 0.00 0.00

28 0.00 2.22 4.63 1.75 0.00 0.00 0.00

29 0.00 1.97 4.81 0.45 0.00 0.26 0.00

30 0.00 1.97 5.22 1.28 0.00 0.33 0.00

31 2.06 0.60 0.00 0.00

CFS DAYS 0 112 91 61 18 18.4 1.52

MEAN 0.00 3.60 3.04 1.97 0.59 0.61 0.05

MAX 0.00 6.49 5.22 5.26 2.90 4.97 0.88

MIN 0.00 0.64 0.92 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

ACRE-FEET 0 221 181 121 36 36.5 3.0


La PuenteDaily Discharges in Cubic Feet per Second


~ 32 ~

Figure 29- La Puente Daily Mean Diversion Hydrograph, 2020.

Figure 30- La Puente Total Irrigation Season Diversion, compared with past years

0.00

1.00

2.00

3.00

4.00

5.00

6.00

7.00

4/1/2020 5/11/2020 6/20/2020 7/30/2020 9/8/2020 10/18/2020

Dai

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Dates

2020 La Puente Daily Mean Diversion


58%

71% 73%

39%

58%

28%



0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Div

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(A

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Water Year

La Puente Total Diversion


~ 33 ~

Valentine Martinez Table 9- Valentine Martinez Daily Mean Discharge for 2020 Irrigation Season


1 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

2 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

3 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

4 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.54 0.00 0.00

5 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.32 0.00 0.00

6 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.37 0.00 0.00 0.55

7 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.29 0.00 0.00 0.27

8 0.00 0.03 0.00 2.05 0.00 0.00 0.00

9 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.60 0.00 0.00 0.00

10 0.00 0.12 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

11 0.00 0.34 0.00 0.00 0.54 0.00 0.00

12 0.00 1.42 0.00 0.00 0.23 0.00 0.00

13 0.00 2.83 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.76

14 0.00 1.98 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.11

15 0.00 1.68 0.81 0.46 0.00 1.05 0.33

16 0.00 1.16 1.19 0.30 0.00 1.85 0.00

17 0.00 0.00 1.17 0.00 0.00 0.65 0.00

18 0.00 0.00 0.64 0.00 1.92 0.00 0.00

19 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.83 0.00 0.00

20 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

21 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.43 0.00 0.00 0.00

22 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.11 0.00 0.00 0.00

23 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

24 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

25 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.59 0.00 0.00

26 0.00 0.00 0.46 0.00 0.27 0.00 0.00

27 0.00 0.67 1.17 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

28 0.00 1.39 1.21 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

29 0.00 1.70 0.27 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

30 0.00 1.58 0.00 0.45 0.00 0.00 0.00

31 1.14 0.49 0.00 0.00

CFS DAYS 0 16 7 7 5 3.6 3.02

MEAN 0.00 0.52 0.23 0.21 0.17 0.12 0.10

MAX 0.00 2.83 1.21 2.05 1.92 1.85 1.11

MIN 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

ACRE-FEET 0 32 14 13 10 7.1 6.0


Valentine MartinezDaily Discharges in Cubic Feet per Second


~ 34 ~

Figure 31- Valentine Martinez Daily Mean Diversion Hydrograph, 2020.

Figure 32- Valentine Martinez Total Irrigation Season Diversion, compared with past years

0.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

2.50

3.00

4/1/2020 5/11/2020 6/20/2020 7/30/2020 9/8/2020 10/18/2020

Dai

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Dates

2020 Valentine Martinez Daily Mean Diversion


1%

16%

24%19%



0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

2017 2018 2019 2020

Div

ersi

on

(A

cre

-Fe

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Water Year

Valentine Martinez Total Diversion


~ 35 ~

Quintana Table 10- Quintana Daily Mean Discharge for 2020 Irrigation Season


1 0.14 0.04 0.00 2.59 0.00 1.48 0.81

2 0.10 0.07 0.00 0.65 0.00 0.78 0.11

3 0.36 0.58 0.00 2.88 0.00 0.00 0.06

4 0.44 0.68 0.00 2.50 0.00 0.00 0.12

5 0.20 1.28 0.00 1.01 0.00 0.00 0.14

6 0.14 1.28 0.00 2.85 0.00 0.00 0.37

7 0.19 1.56 1.38 1.85 0.00 0.00 0.16

8 0.13 0.78 1.70 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.03

9 0.30 1.73 2.08 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.02

10 0.25 2.81 1.42 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.02

11 0.35 5.71 0.37 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.02

12 0.36 4.94 1.09 1.93 0.00 0.07 0.01

13 0.31 2.63 1.47 1.88 0.00 0.00 0.01

14 0.31 2.14 1.92 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.01

15 0.74 2.03 2.07 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.01

16 0.58 1.20 2.43 0.00 0.00 0.08 0.02

17 0.50 0.13 2.65 0.00 0.00 0.11 0.02

18 1.31 0.00 2.67 0.00 0.00 0.06 0.03

19 0.45 0.00 0.70 0.00 0.00 0.08 0.13

20 0.21 0.47 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.08 0.17

21 0.18 2.82 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.05 0.19

22 0.13 3.36 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.06 0.04

23 0.11 0.80 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.06 0.34

24 0.10 0.79 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.04 0.16

25 0.10 0.84 0.00 0.00 0.55 0.03 0.23

26 0.09 0.25 0.00 0.00 0.02 0.03 0.26

27 0.10 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.02 0.03 0.05

28 0.10 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.02 0.05

29 0.07 0.00 2.28 0.00 0.00 1.59 0.08

30 0.07 0.00 3.11 0.00 0.00 2.09 0.10

31 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.11

CFS DAYS 8 39 27 18 1 6.8 3.90

MEAN 0.28 1.26 0.91 0.59 0.02 0.23 0.13

MAX 1.3 5.7 3.1 2.9 0.5 2.1 0.8

MIN 0.07 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01

ACRE-FEET 17 77 54 36 1 13.4 7.7


QuintanaDaily Discharges in Cubic Feet per Second


~ 36 ~

Figure 33- Quintana Daily Mean Diversion Hydrograph, 2020.

Figure 34- Quintana Total Irrigation Season Diversion, compared with past years

0.00

1.00

2.00

3.00

4.00

5.00

6.00

7.00

4/1/2020 5/11/2020 6/20/2020 7/30/2020 9/8/2020 10/18/2020

Dai

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Dates

2020 Quintana Daily Mean Diversion

Max diversion Amount

0%

67%

77%

49%



0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

2017 2018 2019 2020

Div

ersi

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(A

cre

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Water Year

Quintana Total Diversion


~ 37 ~

Gonzales Table 11- Gonzales Daily Mean Discharge for 2020 Irrigation Season


1 0.00 0.50 3.49 4.43 0.00 0.63 0.00

2 0.00 0.00 3.48 4.08 0.00 0.30 0.00

3 0.00 0.00 3.46 3.77 0.00 0.00 0.00

4 0.00 0.00 3.39 3.70 0.00 0.00 0.00

5 0.00 0.00 3.27 3.52 0.00 0.00 0.00

6 0.00 0.00 3.26 3.32 0.00 0.00 0.00

7 0.00 0.00 3.28 3.27 0.00 0.00 0.00

8 0.00 0.00 3.18 3.16 0.00 0.00 0.00

9 0.00 0.00 3.08 2.97 0.00 0.00 0.00

10 0.00 0.16 2.98 2.86 0.00 0.00 0.00

11 0.00 0.88 3.32 3.32 1.09 0.00 0.00

12 0.00 1.50 3.11 3.30 0.47 0.00 0.00

13 0.00 2.00 3.32 3.24 0.00 0.00 0.00

14 0.00 1.87 3.58 3.15 0.00 0.00 0.00

15 0.00 2.80 3.73 3.19 0.00 0.15 0.00

16 0.37 2.24 3.78 0.88 0.00 1.14 0.00

17 1.06 2.47 3.83 0.00 0.00 1.32 0.00

18 1.91 2.70 3.72 0.00 1.17 0.64 0.00

19 2.89 2.79 3.77 0.00 0.49 0.00 0.00

20 3.09 2.86 4.41 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

21 3.49 2.91 4.77 0.20 0.00 0.00 0.00

22 4.62 2.99 4.74 0.20 0.00 0.00 0.00

23 5.15 3.65 4.73 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

24 5.00 4.03 4.88 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

25 4.65 3.91 5.02 0.00 1.18 0.00 0.00

26 4.07 3.80 5.09 0.00 0.49 0.00 0.00

27 3.51 3.96 4.99 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

28 2.84 4.21 4.76 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

29 2.83 4.24 4.63 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

30 2.25 4.05 4.61 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

31 3.49 0.00 0.00 0.00

CFS DAYS 48 64 118 53 5 4.2 0.00

MEAN 1.59 2.06 3.92 1.70 0.16 0.14 0.00

MAX 5.15 4.24 5.09 4.43 1.18 1.32 0.00

MIN 0.00 0.00 2.98 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

ACRE-FEET 95 127 233 104 10 8.3 0.0


GonzalesDaily Discharges in Cubic Feet per Second


~ 38 ~

Figure 35- Gonzales Daily Mean Diversion Hydrograph, 2020.

Figure 36- Gonzales Total Irrigation Season Diversion, compared with past years

0.00

1.00

2.00

3.00

4.00

5.00

6.00

7.00

4/1/2020 5/11/2020 6/20/2020 7/30/2020 9/8/2020 10/18/2020

Dai

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Dates

2020 Gonzales Daily Mean Diversion

Max Diversion Amounts

31%26%

18%23%



0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

2017 2018 2019 2020

Div

ersi

on

(A

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Water Year

Gonzales Total Diversion


~ 39 ~

JP Gonzales Table 12- JP Gonzales Daily Mean Discharge for 2020 Irrigation Season


1 0.00 13.27 15.68 14.67 3.88 0.00 3.99

2 0.00 12.23 15.29 14.84 0.01 4.57 0.00

3 0.00 12.48 15.27 16.49 9.89 2.01 0.00

4 0.00 12.71 15.29 15.81 12.64 0.00 0.00

5 0.00 12.81 15.32 15.45 12.44 0.00 0.00

6 0.00 12.78 15.28 15.35 4.22 0.00 0.00

7 0.00 12.83 15.34 15.26 0.00 0.00 7.68

8 0.00 12.82 15.15 15.16 0.00 0.00 4.58

9 0.00 13.67 14.83 15.12 0.00 0.00 0.00

10 0.00 15.41 14.88 15.31 0.00 0.00 0.10

11 0.00 17.31 15.08 15.89 0.00 7.48 0.00

12 1.56 16.82 14.95 15.90 7.87 5.44 0.04

13 2.44 15.58 15.41 16.05 4.26 0.00 0.07

14 5.11 15.56 15.74 16.34 0.00 0.00 8.07

15 4.98 15.99 15.90 16.30 0.00 0.00 3.73

16 7.58 16.38 16.36 5.11 0.00 7.00 0.00

17 11.61 15.82 17.41 0.00 0.00 3.03 0.00

18 14.70 15.93 17.12 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.65

19 15.59 13.32 14.43 0.00 10.45 0.00 0.88

20 15.96 12.88 16.56 0.00 4.91 0.00 0.00

21 16.50 16.54 15.42 0.00 0.00 0.00 4.99

22 15.64 15.42 15.59 6.62 0.00 4.54 2.60

23 15.07 15.07 15.54 2.17 0.00 10.16 0.00

24 15.13 15.79 15.98 0.00 0.00 3.79 0.00

25 15.25 14.16 16.31 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

26 15.89 14.09 16.46 0.00 11.28 0.00 0.00

27 15.10 15.03 16.11 0.00 4.70 0.00 0.01

28 14.07 15.59 16.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.21

29 15.31 15.63 15.30 8.72 0.00 0.00 2.80

30 15.08 16.05 14.85 11.33 0.00 9.06 0.00

31 16.11 10.19 0.00 0.00

CFS DAYS 233 456 469 278 87 57.1 42.40

MEAN 7.8 14.7 15.6 9.0 2.8 1.90 1.37

MAX 16.5 17.3 17.4 16.5 12.6 10.2 8.1

MIN 0.00 12.23 14.43 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

ACRE-FEET 461 904 930 551 172 113.2 84.1


J.P. GonzalesDaily Discharges in Cubic Feet per Second


~ 40 ~

Figure 37- JP Gonzales Daily Mean Diversion Hydrograph, 2020.

Figure 38- JP Gonzales Total Irrigation Season Diversion, compared with past years

0.00

2.00

4.00

6.00

8.00

10.00

12.00

14.00

16.00

18.00

20.00

4/1/2020 5/11/2020 6/20/2020 7/30/2020 9/8/2020 10/18/2020

Dai

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Dates

2020 J.P. Gonzales Daily Mean Diversion


78%

69%

83%

49%

70%

47%



0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Div

ersi

on

(A

cre

-Fe

et)

Water Year

J.P. Gonzales Total Diversion


~ 41 ~

Abeyta Trujillo Table 13- Abeyta Trujillo Daily Mean Discharge for 2020 Irrigation Season


1 0.00 5.69 6.44 5.08 0.67 0.00 0.00

2 0.00 5.37 6.49 5.66 0.00 2.29 0.00

3 0.00 5.05 6.26 5.92 2.52 0.74 0.00

4 0.00 4.88 6.27 5.61 2.99 0.00 0.00

5 0.00 4.45 6.34 7.25 3.05 0.00 0.00

6 0.00 4.19 6.35 6.73 1.03 0.00 0.00

7 0.00 4.05 6.39 6.38 0.00 0.00 0.00

8 2.01 3.82 6.43 6.56 0.00 0.00 0.00

9 6.20 3.90 6.46 6.83 0.00 0.00 0.00

10 5.63 4.31 6.51 7.06 0.00 0.00 0.00

11 5.67 4.67 6.54 7.55 0.00 0.00 0.00

12 5.58 4.89 6.49 7.76 2.67 0.00 0.00

13 4.13 4.70 6.58 6.71 0.88 0.00 0.00

14 3.52 4.93 6.63 5.37 0.00 0.00 0.00

15 3.29 5.18 6.62 6.12 0.00 0.00 0.00

16 3.43 5.37 6.70 1.88 0.00 0.00 0.00

17 3.67 6.19 6.78 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

18 4.79 6.82 6.85 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

19 6.24 7.08 7.02 0.00 5.05 0.00 0.00

20 6.47 7.16 7.10 0.00 2.34 0.00 0.00

21 6.64 7.20 7.22 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

22 7.38 7.32 7.26 3.43 0.00 0.00 0.00

23 9.36 7.65 6.34 1.88 0.00 0.00 0.00

24 4.49 7.92 5.71 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

25 4.51 7.77 5.76 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

26 4.86 7.24 5.61 0.00 3.93 0.00 0.00

27 4.60 6.34 5.74 2.19 1.21 0.00 0.00

28 4.26 6.35 5.48 6.26 0.00 0.00 0.00

29 5.38 6.34 5.22 6.41 0.00 0.00 0.00

30 6.22 6.34 5.24 6.34 0.00 0.00 0.00

31 6.35 4.69 0.00 0.00

CFS DAYS 118 180 191 130 26 3.0 0.00

MEAN 3.94 5.79 6.36 4.18 0.85 0.10 0.00

MAX 9.36 7.92 7.26 7.76 5.05 2.29 0.00

MIN 0.00 3.82 5.22 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

ACRE-FEET 235 356 378 257 52 6.0 0.0


Abeyta TrujilloDaily Discharges in Cubic Feet per Second


~ 42 ~

Figure 39- Abeyta Trujillo Daily Mean Diversion Hydrograph, 2020.

Figure 40- Abeyta Trujillo Total Irrigation Season Diversion, compared with past years

0.00

1.00

2.00

3.00

4.00

5.00

6.00

7.00

8.00

9.00

10.00

4/1/2020 5/11/2020 6/20/2020 7/30/2020 9/8/2020 10/18/2020

Dai

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Dates

2020 Abeyta Trujillo Daily Mean Diversion


80%85%

81%

50%

75%

50%



0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Div

ersi

on

(A

cre

-Fee

t)

Water Year

Abeyta Trujillo Total Diversion


~ 43 ~

Mariano Table 14- Mariano Daily Mean Discharge for 2020 Irrigation Season


1 0.00 2.51 3.66 3.09 0.00 0.00 0.00

2 0.00 2.23 3.53 2.83 0.00 0.00 0.00

3 0.00 3.20 3.32 3.26 3.61 0.00 0.00

4 0.00 3.24 3.40 3.18 5.14 0.00 0.00

5 0.00 3.42 3.24 3.11 4.59 0.00 0.00

6 0.00 3.51 3.41 3.48 1.50 0.00 0.00

7 0.00 3.59 3.51 3.80 0.00 0.00 0.00

8 0.00 3.89 3.49 3.67 0.00 0.00 0.00

9 0.00 4.63 3.61 3.53 0.00 0.00 0.00

10 0.00 3.96 3.78 3.61 0.00 0.00 0.00

11 0.00 5.63 3.37 4.08 0.00 0.00 0.00

12 0.00 4.73 3.48 3.86 1.60 0.00 0.00

13 0.00 4.35 3.81 4.15 0.85 0.00 0.00

14 0.00 4.22 3.78 4.07 0.00 0.00 0.00

15 0.00 4.63 3.47 3.20 0.00 0.00 0.00

16 0.00 5.12 3.90 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

17 0.00 4.27 4.73 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

18 0.00 4.15 4.32 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

19 0.00 4.33 3.25 0.00 3.90 0.00 0.00

20 0.00 4.52 3.24 0.00 2.10 0.00 0.00

21 0.00 3.92 3.94 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

22 0.00 3.89 4.08 0.64 0.00 0.00 0.00

23 0.00 4.86 3.41 0.06 0.00 0.00 0.00

24 0.00 3.68 3.42 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

25 0.00 3.37 2.87 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

26 0.00 2.83 3.47 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

27 0.00 3.14 3.46 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

28 0.52 2.75 3.28 2.15 0.00 0.00 0.00

29 2.87 2.40 3.01 3.50 0.00 0.00 0.00

30 2.54 2.26 3.02 3.18 0.00 0.00 0.00

31 2.66 0.00 0.00 0.00

CFS DAYS 6 116 106 62 23 0.0 0.00

MEAN 0.20 3.74 3.54 2.01 0.75 0.00 0.00

MAX 2.87 5.63 4.73 4.15 5.14 0.00 0.00

MIN 0.00 2.23 2.87 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

ACRE-FEET 12 230 211 124 46 0.0 0.0


MarianoDaily Discharges in Cubic Feet per Second


~ 44 ~

Figure 41- Mariano Daily Mean Diversion Hydrograph, 2020.

Figure 42- Mariano Total Irrigation Season Diversion, compared with past years

0.00

1.00

2.00

3.00

4.00

5.00

6.00

4/1/2020 5/11/2020 6/20/2020 7/30/2020 9/8/2020 10/18/2020

Dai

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cfs)

Dates

2020 Mariano Daily Mean Diversion


66%

90% 90%

39%

66%

37%



0

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1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Div

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Mariano Total Diversion


~ 45 ~

Ferran Table 15- Ferran Daily Mean Discharge for 2020 Irrigation Season


1 0.00 0.94 0.33 3.92 0.00 0.00 0.00

2 0.00 0.53 0.37 2.47 0.00 0.00 0.00

3 0.00 1.01 0.29 2.13 0.53 0.00 0.00

4 0.00 1.30 0.90 2.28 2.60 0.00 0.00

5 0.00 1.69 1.74 2.29 0.89 0.00 0.00

6 0.00 1.04 2.10 1.88 0.58 0.00 0.00

7 0.00 0.00 0.82 3.35 0.00 0.00 0.00

8 0.00 1.50 1.01 4.05 0.00 0.00 0.00

9 0.00 2.42 0.99 1.95 0.00 0.00 0.00

10 0.00 2.39 1.13 2.37 0.00 0.00 0.00

11 0.00 2.67 0.73 4.74 0.00 0.00 0.00

12 0.00 2.09 0.83 3.37 0.03 0.00 0.00

13 0.00 0.87 0.93 2.52 0.01 0.00 0.00

14 0.00 0.80 1.79 3.92 0.00 0.00 0.00

15 0.00 2.96 2.74 3.62 0.05 0.00 0.00

16 0.00 1.73 3.25 0.87 0.11 0.00 0.00

17 0.00 1.07 2.30 0.00 0.06 0.00 0.00

18 0.00 0.63 2.64 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.00

19 0.00 1.94 2.39 0.00 0.49 0.00 0.00

20 0.00 1.38 1.92 0.00 0.62 0.00 0.00

21 0.00 0.38 2.38 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

22 0.00 0.38 2.55 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

23 0.00 1.05 3.49 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

24 0.00 1.92 1.09 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

25 0.00 2.52 0.98 0.00 0.43 0.00 0.00

26 0.00 1.91 1.92 0.00 0.07 0.00 0.00

27 0.00 1.96 2.33 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

28 0.00 1.93 2.69 1.39 0.00 0.00 0.00

29 1.80 1.19 3.84 1.65 0.00 0.00 0.00

30 0.97 1.31 4.12 0.94 0.00 0.00 0.00

31 0.96 0.00 0.00 0.00

CFS DAYS 3 45 55 50 6 0.0 0.00

MEAN 0.09 1.44 1.82 1.60 0.21 0.00 0.00

MAX 1.80 2.96 4.12 4.74 2.60 0.00 0.00

MIN 0.00 0.00 0.29 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

ACRE-FEET 5 88 108 99 13 0.0 0.0


FerranDaily Discharges in Cubic Feet per Second


~ 46 ~

Figure 43- Ferran Daily Mean Diversion Hydrograph, 2020.

Figure 44- Ferran Total Irrigation Season Diversion, compared with past years

0.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

2.50

3.00

3.50

4.00

4.50

5.00

4/1/2020 5/11/2020 6/20/2020 7/30/2020 9/8/2020 10/18/2020

Dai

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cfs)

Dates

2020 Ferran Daily Mean Diversion


24%20%

26%

18%



0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2017 2018 2019 2020

Div

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Ferran Total Diversion


~ 47 ~

JV Martinez Table 16- JV Martinez Daily Mean Discharge for 2020 Irrigation Season


1 0.00 3.28 4.29 4.15 0.00 0.00 1.29

2 0.00 2.84 4.27 4.07 0.00 2.28 0.00

3 0.00 2.68 4.22 3.99 2.83 1.02 0.00

4 0.00 2.57 4.20 3.99 4.33 0.00 0.00

5 0.00 2.57 4.17 3.99 4.46 0.00 0.00

6 0.00 2.65 4.18 3.99 1.54 0.00 0.00

7 0.00 2.72 4.10 3.96 0.00 0.00 0.38

8 0.00 2.75 4.06 3.94 0.00 0.00 0.34

9 0.00 2.96 4.01 3.91 0.00 0.00 0.00

10 0.00 4.24 3.77 3.86 0.00 0.00 0.00

11 0.00 5.22 3.79 4.51 0.00 0.00 0.00

12 0.00 5.54 3.79 4.33 0.00 0.00 0.00

13 0.00 4.40 3.91 4.36 0.00 0.00 0.00

14 0.00 3.97 4.12 4.39 0.00 0.00 0.53

15 1.41 4.07 4.19 3.69 0.00 0.00 0.50

16 4.00 4.31 4.27 0.03 0.00 3.25 0.00

17 4.27 3.93 4.38 0.00 0.00 1.66 0.00

18 4.41 3.95 4.38 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

19 5.07 3.99 4.39 0.00 3.04 0.00 0.00

20 5.14 4.15 4.40 0.00 1.51 0.00 0.00

21 5.06 4.01 4.40 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

22 4.98 4.15 4.39 0.05 0.00 0.00 0.00

23 5.25 4.30 4.44 0.00 0.00 3.00 0.00

24 5.05 4.39 4.43 0.00 0.00 1.41 0.00

25 4.62 4.03 4.46 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

26 5.02 4.02 4.48 0.00 3.25 0.00 0.00

27 4.94 4.16 4.34 0.00 1.69 0.00 0.00

28 4.60 4.29 4.24 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

29 4.49 4.29 4.21 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

30 4.16 4.29 4.20 0.00 0.00 2.82 0.00

31 4.29 0.00 0.00 0.00

CFS DAYS 72 119 126 61 23 15.5 3.04

MEAN 2.42 3.84 4.22 1.97 0.73 0.52 0.10

MAX 5.25 5.54 4.48 4.51 4.46 3.25 1.29

MIN 0.00 2.57 3.77 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

ACRE-FEET 144 236 251 121 45 30.6 6.0


JV MartinezDaily Discharges in Cubic Feet per Second


~ 48 ~

Figure 45- JV Martinez Daily Mean Diversion Hydrograph, 2020.

Figure 46- JV Martinez Total Irrigation Season Diversion, compared with past years

0.00

1.00

2.00

3.00

4.00

5.00

6.00

4/1/2020 5/11/2020 6/20/2020 7/30/2020 9/8/2020 10/18/2020

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Dates

2020 JV Martinez Daily Mean Diversion


85%82%

78%

43%

78%

49%



0

200

400

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800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

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JV Martinez Total Diversion


~ 49 ~

Rio De Chama Table 17- Rio De Chama Daily Mean Discharge for 2020 Irrigation Season


1 0.00 6.80 13.06 7.97 5.55 2.52 0.00

2 0.00 5.22 11.13 10.24 0.00 0.00 0.00

3 0.00 4.86 9.79 11.52 7.48 0.00 0.00

4 0.00 7.47 11.28 12.16 8.57 0.00 0.00

5 0.00 11.07 12.40 11.96 8.96 0.00 0.49

6 0.00 11.37 12.85 11.39 2.85 0.00 0.00

7 0.00 12.14 13.44 10.78 0.00 0.00 0.00

8 0.00 13.11 12.17 10.78 0.00 0.00 0.00

9 0.00 11.39 11.55 10.32 0.00 0.00 0.00

10 0.00 16.23 12.18 9.92 7.13 0.00 0.00

11 0.00 16.43 11.43 11.87 2.64 0.00 0.00

12 0.00 16.43 10.00 12.03 0.00 9.90 5.17

13 0.00 16.42 9.95 12.60 0.00 9.19 6.61

14 0.00 14.64 12.87 13.27 0.00 9.69 1.41

15 1.41 15.35 13.26 14.12 0.00 9.07 0.00

16 6.78 16.62 11.41 4.12 0.00 8.29 0.00

17 6.75 16.35 11.52 0.00 4.30 3.26 0.00

18 11.00 12.46 10.59 0.00 2.91 0.00 0.00

19 14.52 6.81 9.90 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.51

20 15.25 8.08 10.59 5.99 0.00 0.00 4.02

21 15.97 10.72 9.62 1.94 0.00 6.72 0.92

22 15.97 13.21 8.54 0.00 0.00 2.70 0.00

23 15.97 12.90 12.23 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

24 15.73 14.07 12.82 0.00 4.72 0.00 0.00

25 13.67 13.28 12.82 0.00 2.04 0.00 0.00

26 10.47 14.80 12.82 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

27 9.28 17.27 12.80 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

28 8.07 14.21 12.34 0.00 0.00 5.61 0.00

29 9.31 12.34 8.97 0.00 0.00 2.23 0.00

30 8.04 13.22 7.57 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

31 13.59 8.51 4.81 0.00

CFS DAYS 178 389 342 191 62 69.2 21.13

MEAN 5.94 12.54 11.40 6.18 2.00 2.31 0.68

MAX 16.0 17.3 13.4 14.1 9.0 9.9 6.6

MIN 0.00 4.86 7.57 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

ACRE-FEET 353 771 678 380 123 137.2 41.9


Rio De ChamaDaily Discharges in Cubic Feet per Second


~ 50 ~

Figure 47- Rio De Chama Daily Mean Diversion Hydrograph, 2020.

Figure 48- Rio De Chama Total Irrigation Season Diversion, compared with past years

0.00

2.00

4.00

6.00

8.00

10.00

12.00

14.00

16.00

18.00

20.00

4/1/2020 5/11/2020 6/20/2020 7/30/2020 9/8/2020 10/18/2020

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Dates

2020 Rio De Chama Daily Mean Diversion


106%

82%

116%

57%

88%

53%



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4000

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6000

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

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Water Year

Rio De Chama Total Diversion


~ 51 ~

Total Diversion, Precipitation, and Max Diversion

The graph in Figure 49 shows the total diversion from every acequia compared to the precipitation totals and effective

precipitation totals of the irrigation season. Figure 50 shows the comparison of total recorded diversion to the maximum

diversion amount in acre-feet for each acequia in the Lower Chama. Despite some apparent daily over diversions, the

seasonal total diversion of all acequias was below the total max diversion amount this year.

Figure 49- Total Diversion compared to Total Precipitation and Total Effective Precipitation for the 2020 season

Figure 50- Total Diverted Flows for Acequias compared to Max Diversion amount for 2020 season

0

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Total Irrigation Season Diversion, Precipitation, and Effective Precipitation

Total Diverted Flows (Acre-Ft) Effective Precipitation (Acre-Ft) Total Precipitation (Acre-feet)

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Irrigation Season Total Diversion and Max Diversion

Total Diverted Flows (Acre-Ft) Max Diversion (Acre-Ft)


~ 52 ~

Crop Irrigation Water Requirements and Total Diversion

Figure 51- 2020 Monthly Crop Irrigation Water Requirement compared to total monthly amounts diverted in Lower Chama

Total RCAA diversion per month was compared to the Irrigation Water Requirements (IWR) for the most water dependent

crop (Northern alfalfa) to show that net irrigation diverted water was sufficient to meet IWR throughout the Lower Chama

until stored and imported water ran out and the natural system could not meet crop watering requirements based on

time of season, climate, and precipitation totals.

As shown in the graph (Figure 51), IWR increases during the irrigation season as precipitation drops and temperatures

increase. IWR was obtained by taking the NRCS IWR tables for the region using northern alfalfa as an example (most

dependent on water crop) and adding the average climate EP for that month to get a total water requirement (TWR).

Since the EP varies annually, 2020 EP monthly totals were subtracted from the monthly TWRs, producing a monthly IWR

for the basin. The monthly IWR was divided by 0.5 to account for 50% ditch efficiency based on past studies to determine

max diversion flow rates. 6

As seen in the graph, total crop IWR in the lower basin was exceeded each month except July through September when

native flows had diminished due to lack of snowpack and rain, the consumption of imported and stored water ran out,

and shortage sharing and rotations for RCAA acequias began.

6 See addendum B on IWR and precipitation information and sources

0

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April May June July August September October

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2020 Crop IWR and Diverted Flows of Lower Chama


~ 53 ~

La Puente USGS gage hydrograph (Figure 5) and precipitation graphs (Figure 4) can be seen earlier in the document to

see how the lower river system flows limited the ability to divert the full IWR from July through September. Limited

native flow in the lower basin could not satisfy the full IWR during the late irrigation season even with the extra

supplemental Rio Grande Compact Debit Water releases to the Rio Chama. Clearly, none of the RCAA irrigators were

able to meet their crops IWR needs for their entire irrigation season, and water supply failed to meet IWR after June

when imported supplemental and stored native flows ran out (See Figure 51).


~ 54 ~

2020 Season Overview 2020 Irrigation season on the Lower Chama was below average for irrigation practices. The below average snowpack and

lack of early season precipitation brought earlier than normal low peak flows through the region, which limited some

diversions due to the early peak flows being stored in El Vado in preparation for a dry summer. Only about 100 cfs was

bypassed for the Lower Chama until June. Lack of snowpack and early precipitation provided below average flows for the

season, despite higher precipitation events in July and October. The minimal monsoon season barely affected the native

flows, which were already low and dropped off in June and failed to produce a large rise in the stream flows until October

after temperatures had dropped. The basin went into depletion management in agreement with MRGCD to use purchased

SJCP water to deplete the use of stored native flows and SJCP water by MRGCD from mid-June to mid-July when both

purchased depletion/offset water and stored MRGCD water ran out. Low flows caused the Basin to go into AWRM

curtailment, shortage sharing and rotation agreements with RCAA ditches starting in mid-July until the end of the irrigation

season. Not even the release of supplemental extra New Mexico Rio Grande Compact debit water could stave off AWRM

alternative administration. The AWRM shortage sharing and rotation effectively and successfully enabled all acequias to

continue some minimal weekly diversions through the end of the irrigation season.

All major tributaries had average flows during the early irrigation season. Lack of precipitation during the early season

meant flows dropped off and dried up by June and July on the larger tributaries such as Ojo Caliente and El Rito. Irrigation

was limited to early season and minimal irrigation during most of the remaining season.

Overall, the total native flows were far below average for the irrigation season, snowpack was low, and precipitation below

normal all season. All acequias irrigated sufficiently during the early summer and met their IWR while not exceeding their

maximum diversion amounts until depletions/offset stored water ran out in mid-July. Shortage sharing and rotation

occurred during July through October caused by the lack of precipitation to maintain river flows in the Rio Chama and its

tributaries. Once the flows dropped below 50 cfs at USGS Gage La Puente, depletions management agreements with

MRGCD were used and allowed the RCAA acequias to continue normal irrigation from June until mid-July. After storage

and purchased depletions/offset water ran out, agreements were made to share the native flows to allow all acequias to

continue to minimally irrigate through the last months of the season.


~ 55 ~

Administration

AWRM refers to the essential tools and elements needed to enable the State Engineer and his appointees to manage the

state’s limited water resources and avoid strict priority administration actively and effectively.

At mid-June, native Rio Chama water monitored at USGS Gage La Puente reached the 50 cfs level triggering depletions

management in agreement with MRGCD to start where purchased SJCP water was used to offset the depletions from

using MRGCD stored native water and SJCP water. The offset/depletions water ran out in mid-July, triggering water

shortage sharing and rotation among the acequias of the RCAA.

RCAA member acequias were asked to start curtailment on July 13th. Original schedule had all acequia diversions off

unless water was available over and above what senior ditches needed. This lasted one week, when July rains raised the

river flows and the curtailment schedule was adjusted. The new shortage sharing schedule included a daily rotation of

junior priority acequias when water was available. OSE District VI and RCAA ditches adopted and implemented the

adjusted curtailment schedule of shortage sharing and rotation, and the Water Masters were in communication with the

mayordomos throughout the curtailment period ensuring diversion limits were met and not exceeded (for the most part).

Rotations and shortage sharing lasted until the end of the irrigation season but allowed all ditches an opportunity to

irrigate weekly when native water was very limited.


~ 56 ~

2020 RCAA ALTERNATIVE ADMINISTRATION ROTATION SCHEDULE Available Flow=Average Daily Reading at USGS La Puente Gage - Set Transit Loss*+ Any

Local Inflow Measured Above Abiquiu Reservoir

Ditch Name Group Priority Schedule Diversion

(cfs)

CHAMITA (PUEBLO) Senior On @ Monday, 7 AM Off @ Thursday, 7 AM

Available Flow

HERNANDEZ

Senior

1600 On @ Thursday, 7 AM Off @ Monday, 7 AM

Available Flow

CHAMITA (NON PUEBLO) 1600

SALAZAR 1600

CHILI

1715

RIO DE CHAMA

1724

MARTINEZ Y DURANES

1724

MANZANARES y MONTOYA

1724

GONZALES Junior 1724

Diversions will occur when Seniors do not

want to divert or excess water is available

LA PUENTE

1724

QUINTANA

1724

VALENTINE MARTINEZ

1724

TIERRA AZUL

1724

MARIANO

1724

FERRAN

1724

JV MARTINEZ

1735

JP GONZALES

1735

ABEYTA TRUJILLO

1735

* Set transit losses of 13.4 cfs for July, 12.5 cfs for August, 8.5 cfs for September, or 3.6 cfs for October.

Figure 52- 2020 Shortage Sharing and Rotation Schedule.


~ 57 ~

2020 RCAA ALTERNATIVE ADMINISTRATION ROTATION SCHEDULE Available Flow=Average Daily Reading at USGS La Puente Gage - Set Transit Loss*+ Any

Local Inflow Measured Above Abiquiu Reservoir

Ditch Name Group Priority Schedule Diversion

(cfs)

CHAMITA (PUEBLO) Senior On @ Monday, 7 AM

Off @ Thursday, 7 AM Available Flow

HERNANDEZ

Senior

1600 On @ Thursday, 7 AM Off @ Monday, 7 AM

Available Flow

CHAMITA (NON PUEBLO) 1600

SALAZAR 1600

CHILI

1715

ON @ Monday, 7 AM OFF @ Tuesday, 7 AM

RIO DE CHAMA

1724 When water is

available

MARTINEZ Y DURANES 1724

MANZANARES y MONTOYA

1724

GONZALES 1724

LA PUENTE

1724 ON @ Tuesday, 7 AM

When water is available

QUINTANA

1724 OFF @Wednesday, 7 AM

VALENTINE MARTINEZ

1724

TIERRA AZUL

1724

MARIANO

1724

FERRAN

1724

ON @ Wednesday, 7 AM OFF @ Thursday, 7 AM

When water is available

JV MARTINEZ

1735

JP GONZALES

1735

ABEYTA TRUJILLO

1735

* Set transit losses of 13.4 cfs for July, 12.5 cfs for August, 8.5 cfs for September, or 3.6 cfs for October.

Figure 53- 2020 Adjusted Shortage Sharing and Rotation Schedule used late July to end of season.


~ 58 ~

Figure 52, above, is the original shortage sharing and rotation schedule implemented in the Lower Chama Basin. Native

Rio Chama flows were so low it was possible to allocate water to only the senior ditches and when flows with loss rates

resulted in no available water, ditches were shut off until July when rains raised the river. Figure 53, above, is the adjusted

shortage sharing and rotation schedule implemented in the Lower Chama Basin after July rains, allowing minimal

diversions between all acequias since flow amounts had increased enough to rotate and share available water until the

end of the irrigation season. Measured acequia diversions varied based on native flows at La Puente USGS Gage, causing

daily fluctuations of the amount that each acequia could divert.

Meetings

Meetings were held with RCAA commissioners/mayordomos, leadership of tribal lands, OSE/ISC staff, and Federal

agencies to address Corps of Engineers project with RCAA to address high flow releases from Abiquiu Dam and future

shortage sharing activities. Although these meetings were on a sensitive subject matter, the outcomes of the meetings

led to a successful implementation of AWRM initiatives within the Chama Mainstream section and were helpful for

opening lines of communications. The meetings also helped get the Corps of Engineers points of diversion research for

improvements project started. The meetings also got RCAA on the track to purchase SJCP water for depletion agreements

with MRGCD. The Lower Chama Water Master conducted additional meetings with the RCAA board and acequia managers

to go over shortage sharing, native flow calculations, depletions/offset breakdown, basic understanding of AWRM

activities in the basin, and communication to help smooth out any questions and direct the board to the correct people

to answer their questions. Further meetings between RCAA, Acequias Norteñas (AN), MRGCD, and ISC/OSE to refine and

evolve the depletions/offset agreement, and refine shortage the sharing and rotation schedule occurred in May through

September as the flows of the Rio Chama dropped and adjustments were needed. These meetings continued throughout

the curtailment shortage sharing months into September to make sure SJCP water was properly purchased and

transferred. Updates on Rio Grande Compact debit water and status of the shortage sharing agreement were continuously

discussed.

Enforcement

There were no enforcement issues during the 2020 season


~ 59 ~

Status of the Basin

Data Equipment

There is a total of Eighteen (18) OSE real-time measuring stations below Abiquiu Dam.

The measurement stations are equipped with a stage discharge recorder (SDR), area-velocity flow meter (AVFM) or SDR

bubbler system (Bubbler), battery, radio transmitter with an antenna, and a solar panel. At the start of the irrigation

season the equipment was cleaned, tested, and connected to a 12-volt solar battery charging panel. The SDRs review and

log discharge and stage daily, in approximately 15-minute intervals. The AVFM displays velocity and volume of water, and

logs volume discharge daily, also in approximately 15-minute intervals.

This year’s data was recorded and is connected to a communication network for public viewing. See site on the OSE

webpage: http://meas.ose.state.nm.us/meas/district6.jsp.

There were a few equipment replacements that occurred this irrigation season. Abeyta Trujillo had its Parshall flume,

staff gages, and radio replaced over the winter. The battery was replaced at Hernandez in March. The battery and solar

regulator were replaced at Ferran in September. The radio was replaced at Quintana in May. The battery at Tierra Azul

was replaced twice, and the solar regulator and SDR were replaced in September. The replacement SDR was later swapped

out for the original SDR data logger in early October. The Chamita sensor and AVFM data logger needed replacement in

October.

A new bubbler measuring station was installed at the Ohkay Owingeh boundary on Chamita Acequia. A preliminary rating

table was prepared and installed at the station. The station was named Yungeh and its data is not published in this report

because the rating table wasn’t set up until August. The period of record for this data was too short to be meaningful and

submergence caused by the irrigation system was not noted on daily events. Regular data is now available for viewing at

the OSE RTMS webpage. 2020 data from Yungeh did help OSE staff estimate flows at the upstream Chamita station that

were incorrect and caused by leaves and brush covering sensor.

A new Parshall flume will be installed to replace the existing Parshall flume at JP Gonzales during the 2021 winter season.

Further repairs are needed on some other flumes also.

An inventory of possible improvements and replacements was compiled during the 2020 season and submitted to the OSE

Metering and Measurement Manager for consideration.

http://meas.ose.state.nm.us/meas/district6.jsp


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Diversions and Headworks

The US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is still working with RCAA on a point of diversion study to possibly replace and

reengineer acequia diversions and headgates to help repair and install more durable works to handle the large releases

that come from Abiquiu Dam.

RCAA also used money received to purchase San Juan Chama Project (SJCP) water to cover 2020 depletions when native

flows were limited in June and July, and any leftover SJCP water can be used to cover over diversion/use during

curtailment or setup a depletion agreement with MRGCD in the future.

Conservation/Improvements

Many of the ditches need upgrades and maintenance to improve their efficiency and ability to deliver irrigation water.

Hopefully the Corps project will improve the headgates and diversions and begin the possibility of improving the down-

ditch efficiency and maintenance. NRCS may be able to help on large projects such as this.

In addition, many acequias can improve their lateral and irrigation/farm headgates. Many are unable to irrigate without

backing up flows to force water through cuts in the ditch. Over time, this will continue to increase sediment loading in

the ditch and is an inefficient way of providing water to all parciantes. Siphon gates, pumps, or gated pipes could improve

irrigation efficiency for all acequias.

Future Goals and Development The Lower Chama Water Master looks to improve management of AWRM in the Lower Chama while providing RCAA

acequias with more tools to improve their ability to irrigate efficiently and effectively while conserving water and

producing successful crop loads. Each year it will be the Water Master’s goal to find areas for improvement and help

resolve issues and implement solutions.

Mayordomo and Water Master Communication: The Water Master worked well with the mayordomos and acequia

managers at having better communication this irrigation season. The parties communicated better regarding

maintenance flushing and irrigation events so summarized data could be documented and corrected for the 2020 season.

The Water Master will continue to work with Mayordomos throughout the basin to improve communication to collect

better notes and data of when acequias are flushing or backing up water at the measuring station to facilitate irrigation.

Water Master will seek to know the minimal flows needed to irrigate all users on each ditch, and to assist on any

improvement projects throughout the acequia. Water Master will also perform water rights administration by helping

with paperwork for changes of ownership and applications and other filing requirements as may be necessary.


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Preseason Shortage Sharing Agreement: The OSE and Water Master set up a new management of having the RCAA, AN,

and Ohkay Owingeh have a Shortage Sharing Agreement by April, as specified by AWRM rules and regulations. This early

planning management route will have the Lower Chama in agreement of their management schedules, rotations, and

plans prior to the irrigation season and will allow for the RCAA, AN, and Ohkay Owingeh to work out the shortage sharing

schedule and rotations for themselves and be more beneficial between the acequias and parciantes. Preseason

discussions and agreements will allow for a more gradual and relaxed implementation of AWRM alternative

administration. The Water Master will oversee the AWRM shortage sharing agreements and rotation schedules that are

proposed. Advance coordination and notices to RCAA will allow for a smoother operation and clearer understanding of

AWRM proposals, for implementation when low native flows require action.

Implementation of Shortage Sharing as River Drops: Preseason agreements on shortage sharing and rotation will reduce

the shock to irrigators when native flows reach low-level triggers at USGS La Puente Gage. Communicating with acequia

mayordomos of the river flows and working with them to pursue leased storage or purchased water options will improve

the RCAA’s capability to cover the early depletions and gradually go into curtailment.

Measuring Stations on Tributaries: It would improve the knowledge and increase abilities of OSE to account for inflows if

all tributaries had a river gage to measure flows and storm spikes that occur during the summer. These additional

measurements could help possibly increase the amount of native flow available to the RCAA.

More Activity on Tributaries: It is the goal of the Water Master to become much more familiar with locations of tributaries,

points of diversion, and knowledge of all acequias in the entire Lower Chama basin.


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Addendums A. SWE Snow water Equivalent (SWE) data is sent out weekly to OSE by New Mexico ISC. The data source of this is the USDA

Natural Resources and Conservation Service (NRCS) website for SNOTEL data and reporting:

(https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/wcc/home/snowClimateMonitoring/snowpack/). Data used for climatic analysis

came directly from New Mexico Basin Outlook reports produced by the NRCS:

(https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/nm/snow/waterproducts/?cid=nrcseprd1381661). OSE uses

terminology directly from the NRCS and has made no alterations to the SWE data presented. OSE has no role in the data

collection or data processing involved in creating this data set. For questions concerning SWE or snowpack data, contact

the Natural Resources Conservation Service Office at 100 Sun Avenue NE, Suite 602, Albuquerque, NM 87109.

B. Precipitation, Effective Precipitation, and Estimated 2019 Alfalfa IWR

Precipitation, effective precipitation, and estimated delivery needs are critical pieces of data to include in any water

master report. The January 18, 1960 Proposed outline for watermaster reports requires reports to identify “periods of

time when direct flow was sufficient and periods when flow was insufficient, and the amount that could be beneficially

used,” the total precipitation, the precipitation departure from normal, and the “effects of departure on irrigation

practices.” These requirements cannot be met without a determination of irrigation season precipitation, effective

precipitation, and crop requirements.

Precipitation

Precipitation data is taken directly from the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Albuquerque, NM

(https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=abq). OSE uses terminology directly from the National Weather

Service and has made no alterations to the precipitation data presented. OSE has no role in the data collection or data

processing involved in creating this data set. For questions concerning precipitation data, contact the Albuquerque

Weather Forecast Office at 2341 Clark Carr Loop SE Albuquerque, NM 87106 (505-243-0702).

Effective Precipitation

Effective precipitation is critical to understanding the impact of precipitation events on the agricultural sector. While total

precipitation is a significant factor for supply, it is effective precipitation that impacts irrigation requirements, crop stress,

and production.

There are many formal methodologies that exist for converting precipitation to effective precipitation; however, OSE has

severe data, time, and budget constraints that prohibit the use of these methods. Instead OSE has estimated 2020

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/wcc/home/snowClimateMonitoring/snowpack/

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/nm/snow/waterproducts/?cid=nrcseprd1381661

https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=abq


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effective precipitation from precipitation data using an estimation method promoted by Farmwest, an agricultural non-

profit that provides information and resources to farmers in the American West. Average effective precipitation was

obtained from The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Irrigation Water Requirement (IWR) Calculator using

the “Normal Year” effective precipitation amounts for northern alfalfa

(https://efotg.sc.egov.usda.gov/references/public/NM/chama-cu.pdf). For questions concerning IWR, contact USDA’s

Natural Resources Conservation Service New Mexico State Office at 100 Sun Avenue NE, Suite 602 Albuquerque, NM

87109 (505-761-4400).

OSE followed these steps to produce 2020 effective precipitation estimates:

1. Any events identified as snow by the National Weather Service were zeroed out.

2. Remaining daily values were entered into this equation:

Effective Precipitation = (Precipitation – 0.2 Inches) * 0.75

The assumption here is that there needs to be a minimum of 0.2 inches in an event to penetrate the soil to reach the root

layer. Less than 0.2 inches is likely to remain in the topsoil layers and open to evaporation or evapotranspiration from

shallow-rooted non-crop vegetation. The 0.75 modifier assumes that only 75% of precipitation will reach the root zone

and remain there available for crop use. The remaining 25% of precipitation is assumed to be lost to surface runoff or

groundwater percolation.

3. Negative results are zeroed out since the minimum value for any form of precipitation is 0.

This is a simple estimation, but it compares very well to IWR averages, which were developed using more robust tools.

The average effective precipitation for Chama, NM is 2.35 IN. OSE’s 2019 estimate is 1.935 IN. From the precipitation data,

2019 had below normal precipitation (89% of normal) over the irrigation season. The 2019 estimate is 82% of IWR’s

normal. This estimate is reasonable but should not be used outside of this report.

2020 Estimated IWR

The IWR is the standard for assessing monthly crop needs across the United States and was developed by the USDA. It

allows OSE to determine times of sufficient water and insufficient water. Without this tool, OSE does not know the impact

of water availability to the users or if ditches are taking an unreasonable amount of water for the time of year. The

estimated IWR for each year should be viewed as a guide only. There are many reasons a ditch may exceed the estimated

IWR: the estimate is off for that part of the basin, the ditch needed significant flushing due to excessive sediment build

up, the ditch is attempting to build soil moisture while water is available and knowing supply is dropping, and unaccounted

needs such as livestock or domestic use from the ditch. Diversions that match the IWR estimate mean that the crops in

that month are very likely getting their full needs met to produce normal yields. Diversions that are below the IWR


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estimate indicates that crops are not receiving their full needs, which will result in users needing to brown out some fields

for the year, and provide deficient irrigation thereby reducing yields. Being below this line means that water users were

likely negatively impacted due to lack of supply. Excessive exceeding of the IWR estimate should be investigated by the

water master, especially if it occurs when supply is short. It is far more illustrative than only considering the maximum

allowable diversion. IWR was used to develop the maximum diversion rates for each ditch setup for administration in the

basin. The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Irrigation Water Requirement (IWR) Calculator for northern

alfalfa was used to estimate 2020 IWR for the Upper Rio Chama

(https://efotg.sc.egov.usda.gov/references/public/NM/chama-cu.pdf). Any questions concerning IWR should be

addressed to the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service New Mexico State Office at 100 Sun Avenue NE, Suite

602 Albuquerque, NM 87109 (505-761-4400).

The 2020 estimated IWR was calculated using the following steps:

1. Take the IWR monthly irrigation requirements and add back in the average monthly effective precipitation. This

creates an IWR exclusive of precipitation.

2. Subtract the 2020 estimated effective precipitation from the total IWR calculated above.

3. Divide by 12 to convert from inches to feet.

4. Divide the IWR by a basin efficiency factor to account for losses. The Upper Rio Chama has 0.6 efficiency factor

(Source: 2001 Rio Chama Hydrographic Survey Section 7 Vol. 2 Rio Brazos) while the Lower Rio Chama has a 0.5

efficiency factor. (Source: 1971 Rio Chama Hydrographic Survey Abiquiu to Española section, and 2002 “Española-

Abiquiu Section of Rio Chama”, Brian C. Wilson)

5. This is the estimated 2020 IWR for each month.

The estimated IWR assumes all acreage is northern alfalfa, the most water intensive crop in the region. This causes the

IWR estimate to likely be higher than actual ditch needs since not all acres are alfalfa.

As a comparison to check the validity of OSE’s 2020 IWR, in the past OSE used the 2019 IWR as a comparison, and the

estimated IWR can be compared to the basin’s project delivery requirement (PDR). The working PDR for the Upper Chama

right now is 4.38 afa. It will likely be lower by the end of adjudication since some ditches have already been adjudicated

to a lower PDR; for example, the MB ditch is 2.45 afa. The 2019 estimated IWR equates to an estimated 2019 PDR of 4.26

afa. This is less than a 3% difference and demonstrates the estimated IWR is reasonable to use as an illustrative guide to

explain the impact of supply and precipitation on the irrigation season.

https://efotg.sc.egov.usda.gov/references/public/NM/chama-cu.pdf


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C. OSE Diversion Provisional Data Processing

OSE does provisional corrections to field datalogger collected data based on field noted events (site visit revisions), noted

calls/contacts from acequia managers, and field corrections. These were implemented through USGS standard Revisions:

multipoint drifts (prorated changes), drift corrections (datum corrections), interpolation for missing data, zeroing out low

flow numbers when the flow was just dead flow water in the weir (site visit revision), and shifts that were implemented

based on portable FlowTracker measurements. All provisional data was left as collected if there was not a noted event.

All USGS data revision policy and procedures can be found at: (https://water.usgs.gov/osw/RevisionsGuidance.html). The

USGS Shift and Measurement policy and procedures can be found at:

(https://hydroacoustics.usgs.gov/memos/OSW2017-03.pdf). The USGS uses Aquarius software and all procedures of data

revisions that can be done by Aquarius software can be found at:

(https://aquaticinformatics.com/products/aquarius/aquarius-time-series/).

Radio transmitted data can be obtained from the OSE RTMS website. Detailed provisional corrections are available for

review in the OSE District 6 Office, Santa Fe, NM.

D. USGS Hydrographs

All USGS hydrographic data is taken directly from the USGS National Water Information System at:

(https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis). USGS terminology is used to describe USGS data. No edits or alterations were

performed by OSE to USGS data. OSE has no role in this data collection or processing. Any questions concerning USGS data

should be directed to the USGS New Mexico Water Science Center located at 6700 Edith Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87113

(505-830-7900).

https://water.usgs.gov/osw/RevisionsGuidance.html

https://hydroacoustics.usgs.gov/memos/OSW2017-03.pdf

https://aquaticinformatics.com/products/aquarius/aquarius-time-series/

2020 Lower Rio Chama Water Master Report

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Transcript of 2020 Lower Rio Chama Water Master Report