El Vado Dam and Reservoir

Current status

The week of October 21, Reclamation will begin evaluating the performance of El Vado dam at various levels of water storage during a first fill test. Water levels were reduced during recent construction activity as Reclamation's Safety of Dams program works closely with local, regional, and national subject matter experts and partners to bring El Vado dam to a 21st century standard.

El Vado Dam Aerial

Because the water surface has been low for several years, the performance at increasingly higher elevations will be evaluated by checking physical parameters as the water level incrementally rises over the course of the next few months.

In 2022, the water level in El Vado Reservoir was lowered to allow repairs to the dam. That construction was halted and a suspension of work was issued to the project contractor in March 2024, due to unforeseen field conditions which posed numerous and unexpected challenges impacting the construction.

The assessments found that the steel faceplate and underlying supports are in much worse condition than originally known, necessitating a new evaluation of the dam and termination of the existing contract.

Construction will not resume for at least 3 years, and until it does, Reclamation is working with the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District (MRGCD) to determine other water storage options, one of which would be to store some water in El Vado Reservoir, pending the results of this first fill evaluation. The optimum result from the first fill evaluation would be to allow some storage in El Vado for 2025 runoff season. If storage is allowed, the level may be slightly higher than the top of the outlet works, which could decrease the chance of debris clogging as occurred during the high runoff in spring 2023. During the first fill evaluation, the water elevation is expected to rise incrementally and will be held at key elevations for additional monitoring and assessment.

During the October 14, 2024 MRGCD board meeting it was announced that ABCWUA, BOR, and MRGCD are finalizing an agreement to allow storage of native water at Abiquiu Reservoir. This agreement will allow alternative storage in Abiquiu Reservoir and the continued operation of the middle Rio Grande project while reclamation moves forward with the necessary safety of dams improvements at El Vado Dam.

Under Reclamation's Safety of Dams program, alternative solutions are being developed and evaluated to reduce seepage through the dam. Reclamation will keep working with our partners and stakeholders to meet mission-essential water deliveries and storage goals. Reclamation is engaging closely with the MRGCD, the Army Corps of Engineers and other partners to ensure the safe operation of El Vado dam.

For more information, please contact the Upper Colorado Region Public Affairs Office at ucbpao@usbr.gov.

Additional Information

Related Projects & Facilities

Streamflow Data

Operational Documents

Partners

Safety of Dams Project Status

Around 2007, Reclamation first identified changes in seepage through the embankment and began a rigorous monitoring effort that included Issue Evaluations and Corrective Action Studies for observed dam safety issues at El Vado Dam. Those studies involved the evaluation of issues and risks to the public.

In 2017, based on the analysis and further information, Reclamation deployed its Safety of Dams Program to develop options and alternatives for addressing the risk of failure due to seepage and to reduce the risk of failure of the spillway. Reclamation, in collaboration with MRGCD and a team of consultants, decided to move forward with the least-cost, technically viable alternative: an impermeable geomembrane over the steel faceplate of the dam. Grouting was incorporated into the design to provide a stable backing for the steel faceplate to appropriately support the geomembrane.

The best value-lowest cost alternative was selected to reduce the risk from seepage through the embankment utilizing a combination of the existing steel faceplate and grouting behind the faceplate to support a geomembrane lining system. This alternative was anticipated to have a life of up to 75 years. A contract for the work was awarded in 2021 and work began in 2022.

Construction on this least cost alternative began after award and grouting behind the steel faceplate commenced. Grouting was extremely slow and bulging of the faceplate became a concern. In addition, the grouting was expensive as well as ineffective in creating a stable foundation for the steel plate. The condition of the plate was worse than anticipated. The structures intended to anchor the steel plate to the dam are weakened or non-existent.

Given the unforeseen conditions experienced, a re-evaluation of the progress to date and condition of the facility was undertaken. The additional assessment of the dam found that the steel faceplate and underlying supports are in much worse condition than originally known. On May 2, 2024, Reclamation, in consultation with its partners at MRGCD made the decision to discontinue grouting behind the steel faceplate at El Vado Dam and evaluate alternative solutions for reduction of seepage through the dam.

Reclamation worked with the contractor to develop a demobilization plan, which included leaving the dam in a safe condition.

The road across the Dam (NM-112) is currently open but may be closed for short periods of time in the future to allow for construction work at the facility. Contact NMDOT for plans and detailed information about the operations and potential closures of NM-112. NMDOT has jurisdiction for NM-112.

Reclamation has been coordinating repairs of NM-112 because of the Safety of Dams work with NMDOT. Reclamation has plans to build two lanes across the crest of the dam as part of the Safety of Dams construction project.

GENERAL

  • Construction related – Contact New Mexico State Parks for plans and detailed information about the operations at the State Park. Reclamation is providing the State Park with updated plans and information about the construction project and water operations plans that may impact their management decisions.
  • Purpose: El Vado Reservoir stores water primarily for irrigation. The reservoir also provides recreational opportunities.
  • The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) owns El Vado Dam and Reservoir. Reclamation operates El Vado Dam under agreement with the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District (MRGCD).
  • Los Alamos County (LAC) owns and operates a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission-regulated hydroelectric plant installed in El Vado Dam.
  • The total maximum storage of El Vado Reservoir is about 200,000 acre-feet, which is used for native Rio Grande water for use by MRGCD and the six Middle Rio Grande Pueblos as well as San Juan-Chama (SJC) Project water for MRGCD and others.
  • Storage and release of native Rio Grande water for MRGCD is subject to provisions of the Rio Grande Compact (Compact).
  • Imported SJC Project water and water retained for the Six Middle Rio Grande Pueblos are not subject to provisions of the Compact that limit storage and release of water under certain conditions.
  • Reclamation regularly performs exams of El Vado Dam as part of the Safety of Dams Program.
  • Reclamation maintains an Emergency Action Plan for El Vado Dam and Reservoir and conducts periodic exercises of emergency operations with local government agencies to decrease agency response times and help protect public safety if there is an actual emergency.
  • The channel capacity below El Vado Dam is approximately 4,500 cubic feet per second (cfs).
  • Reclamation contracts with New Mexico State Parks to manage recreation at El Vado Reservoir.

STORAGE

  • Construction related – It is anticipated that some level of storage restriction will be necessary until the construction project is complete. Currently, the storage restrictions for the construction period remain in place (6,785 ft/~2000 ac-ft). The level of safe storage for the facility and the public will be evaluated over the next few months. We anticipate that construction on an identified alternative could begin within 3-6 years. We also anticipate that increasing storage availability as the construction project moves towards completion. Full storage likely will not be available until both the seepage reduction and spillway projects are complete
  • Unless under Compact restrictions, the plan for filling El Vado Reservoir is to store flows into the reservoir that are in excess of downstream requirements, such as those for Rio Chama water rights holders. In general, water is stored during the spring runoff for release later in the year when natural flows are lower.
  • The Secretary of the Interior designates space in El Vado Reservoir to retain water for irrigation on the Prior and Paramount lands of the Six Middle Rio Grande Pueblos Cochiti, Santo Domingo, San Felipe, Santa Ana, Sandia and Isleta. This water can be released if natural flows are insufficient to meet irrigation demand for the Prior and Paramount acreage.
  • Under Article VII of the Compact, no storage of native Rio Grande water can occur in reservoirs constructed after 1929 upstream of Elephant Butte Reservoir, including El Vado Reservoir, when total useable Rio Grande Project water in storage at Elephant Butte and Caballo Reservoirs is less than 400,000 acre-feet. Usable water is defined in the Rio Grande Compact, with some exceptions.

RELEASES

  • When either MRGCD or the Bureau of Indian Affairs (in the case of Prior and Paramount lands) determines that natural flow of the Rio Grande is insufficient to meet irrigation demands, they may call for a release from El Vado Dam.
  • If water for irrigation on the Prior and Paramount lands of the Six Middle Rio Grande Pueblos is retained while under Article VII Compact restrictions, and remains unused during the irrigation season, it is released to Elephant Butte Reservoir after irrigation season and before the end of the year in which it was retained.
  • Under Article VIII of the Compact, Texas may demand release of native storage (excluding the water for Prior and Paramount lands) up to the amount of New Mexico's accrued debit for under-deliveries to Elephant Butte Reservoir.
  • SJC Project water released from Heron Reservoir for immediate use downstream of El Vado Reservoir is passed through El Vado Dam.
  • When El Vado Reservoir spills, MRGCD has the option to spill SJC Project water belonging to others or to spill native water not held under terms of the Rio Grande Compact.
  • Releases from El Vado Reservoir occur in a manner that is consistent with the following operational requirements and/or considerations:
    • Native Rio Grande Basin water flowing into El Vado Reservoir, up to 100 cfs, is bypassed through the dam to meet demands of Rio Chama water rights holders.
    • Reclamation aims to release about 100 cfs for fisheries below El Vado Dam from November to the start of runoff the following year.
    • When possible and water is available, Reclamation supports the release of 400-600 cfs into the Rio Chama for boating on weekends and holidays from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
  • Releases from El Vado Reservoir flow through the LAC hydroelectric plant within the maximum and minimum capacities of the plant. The plant operates as a "run of the river" facility, i.e., releases are not made for the sole purpose of generating power, but power may be generated from releases made for project purposes.

Contact

Please contact the Operations Group via e-mail at ResourceMgr@usbr.gov for additional information.

Last Updated: 12/12/24