add site
services
publishers
database
health videos
toolbar
stats
live show
health store
more stuff
JOIN/LOGIN
| advertise add site services publishers database health videos
| | about toolbar stats live show health store more stuff JOIN/LOGIN |
- Fiesta de los Niños - Rio Grande Valley... dchstx.org | Rio Grande County Plastic Surgeon Colorado Plastic Surgeon myplasticsurgeon.org | Psiquiatra e Neurologista no Rio Grande do Sul mentalhelp.com |
Not to be confused with Rio Grande Pumped Storage Project (Argentina).  The Rio Grande Project is a United States Bureau of Reclamation irrigation, hydroelectric, flood control, and water diversion project, begun in 1905,[1] that taps the Rio Grande in the states of New Mexico and Texas, in the United States. 175,000 acres (710 km2) of irrigated land, in a strip of land along the river no more than 4.5 miles (7.2 km) wide, [2] are covered by the project, while 18,000 acres (73 km2) are supplied by excess drainage water. Approximately 60 percent of this land is in New Mexico, while the rest is in Texas. Some water is also supplied to Mexico, to irrigate some 25,000 more acres. Other than irrigation, a hydroelectric power plant at Elephant Butte Dam supplies electricity to cities in the area.  The project consists of two large dams, 6 small diversion dams, 596 miles (959 km) of canals and their branches, a hydroelectric generating facility, and over 460 miles (740 km) of drainage channels and pipes.[3] [edit] History Human habitation along the Rio Grande began with Native Americans, for hundreds or perhaps thousands of years. These native people, most notably Pueblo Indians, used simple irrigation systems that were noted by the Spanish in the 16th century, while conducting expeditions from Mexico to North America. In the mid-1800s, irrigation development of the Rio Grande watershed became more intense. A variety of dikes, dams, canals, and other irrigation structures were constructed along the Rio Grande. Every time a flood occurred, the river would take out some of these primitive structures, and a large, coordinated project was needed to build a series of stronger, higher-capacity structures to replace them. However, investigations to begin this project did not begin until over a half-century later.  The Rio Grande is known today for being dry in its lower reaches today, like the Colorado River to the west.[4] This drastic diversion began in the 1890s, when the Rio Grande in Colorado, upstream of New Mexico and Texas, was diverted for the same purposes as the present-day Rio Grande Project. The river's flow near El Paso, Texas, was reduced to a trickle, sometimes with no flow at all, in the summer months. A dam (currently Elephant Butte Dam, formerly "Engle Dam") was proposed at a site called Elephant Butte to resolve these problems. Following that proposal, the Rio Grande Project was proposed in 1902 after the Newlands Reclamation Act, surveyed in 1903, studied for achievability in 1904, and finally incepted in 1905.  The first dam component of the project to be built was the Leasburg Diversion Dam and accompanying 6 miles (9.7 km) of canal, begun in 1906. The dam and canal were finished in 1908. Elephant Butte Dam, the largest dam on the Rio Grande, was the next one to be built. The dam was authorized by the United States Congress on February 15, 1905. The dam construction began in 1908, when groundworks were laid. Conflicts over reservoir land slowed the project, but the dam was begun again in 1912. Storage operation of the dam preceded completion; this operation began in January 1915 while the dam was only completed in 1916. The Franklin Canal was an existing 1890 canal purchased by the Bureau of Reclamation in 1912; and capacity was added from 1914 to 1915. The Mesilla Diversion Dam, Percha Diversion Dam, East Side Canal, West Side Canal, Rincon Valley Canal, and a Leasburg Canal enlargement were built in the period between 1914 and 1919. [3]  In the late 1910s, a problem developed with the rising groundwater, which caused a major leakage of water in the area. As a response, in 1916, the extensive 465 miles (748 km) drainage system of the Rio Grande Project was begun, though contracts for the construction of these drainage systems, as well as distribution canals ("laterals") were not awarded until the period from 1917 to 1918. From this period on until 1929, the entire irrigation system was overhauled. This involved repairing, rebuilding and extending old canals; and construction of new laterals. The work is still in progress, as development in the region continues to grow.[3] The last major components of the project were constructed from the 1930s to the early 1950s. The Caballo Dam was a flood control and storage dam began in 1936. The dam was finished in 1938. The Caballo Dam was built to provide flood protection for the projects downstream, as well as to store power generation waters for dry season irrigation. This added benefit warranted the construction of the Elephant Butte Powerplant upstream. The power plant was constructed from 1938 to 1940. The construction of the power transmission lines leading from the power plant to surrounding areas were begun in 1940, and were finally completed by 1952.[3][5] [edit] Components of the project[edit] Elephant Butte Dam Main article: Elephant Butte Dam The Elephant Butte Dam (also referred to as Elephant Butte Dike) is the largest dam of the project, built from 1908 to 1915. It is a concrete gravity dam, 25 miles (40 km) upstream of the Caballo Dam. The dam is 193 feet (59 m) above the river on the downstream side, 301 feet (92 m) high from its foundations, and 4,414 feet (1,345 m) long. At the base, the dam is 228 feet (69 m) thick, while at the crest, it tapers to about 18 feet (5.5 m) thick. Notably, there are a series of small springs below the dam's foundation.[6] The volume of concrete used in the dam is some 629,500 cubic yards. The storage capacity of the Elephant Butte Reservoir is 2,109,423 acre-feet. The outlet works of the dam can release 10,800 cubic feet (310 m3) per second, while the adjacent spillway can release 34,750 cubic feet (984 m3) per second.[6] The drainage basin of the Rio Grande upstream of the dam is 28,900 square miles (75,000 km2).[6] The dam's power plant generates 27,945 kilowatts of electricity. [7] [edit] Caballo Dam The Caballo Dam is the second major dam of the Rio Grande Project, downstream of the larger Elephant Butte Dam. Built from 1936 to 1948, the dam is 78 feet (24 m) high above the riverbed downstream, 96 feet (29 m) high from its foundations, and 4,558 feet (1,389 m) long. It forms the Caballo Reservoir. The outlet works can release 5,000 cubic feet (140 m3) cubic feet per second, while the spillway can accommodate 33,200 cubic feet (940 m3) per second.[8] [edit] Percha Diversion Dam and Rincon Valley Main CanalPercha Diversion Dam is a diversion dam downstream and 1 mile (1.6 km) west of the Caballo Dam. It is am earthfill design, 19 feet (5.8 m) high above the riverbed, 29 feet (8.8 m) above its foundations, and 2,489 feet (759 m) long. [9] The dam's central section is concrete and flanked by earthen wing dikes. The Percha Diversion Dam diverts water into the Rincon Valley Main Canal, which irrigates 16,260 acres (25.41 sq mi) of land in the Rincon Valley. The canal is 28.1 miles (45.2 km) long, and carries 350 cubic feet (9.9 m3) per second of water.[3] [edit] Leasburg Diversion Dam and Canal, Pichacho North and South Dams The Leasburg Diversion Dam is downstream and nearly identical in design to the Percha Diversion Dam. It is 7 feet (2.1 m) high above the river, while it is 10 feet (3.0 m) high above its foundation. The dam is 3,922.3 feet (1,195.5 m) long. Water spills over the dam over a broad-crested weir about 600 feet (180 m) long, and has a capacity of 17,000 cubic feet (480 m3) per second. [10] The dam diverts water into the Leasburg Canal, which leads 13.7 miles (22.0 km) into 31,600 acres (128 km2) of land in the upper Mesilla Valley. The canal has a capacity of 625 cubic feet (17.7 m3) per second.  Pichacho North and Pichacho South dams impound North Pichacho Arroyo and South Pichacho Arroyo, respectively, to provide flood control for the Leasburg Canal. Both arroyos are ephemeral, and so the dams operate only during storm events. The dams were both built in the 1950s.
[edit] Mesilla Diversion Dam and Canals The Mesilla Diversion Dam is a gated 1916 diversion dam below the Leasburg Diversion Dam. The dam is 10 feet (3.0 m) high above the Rio Grande, and 22 feet (6.7 m) high above foundations. It is 303 feet (92 m) long. It can spill 15,000 cubic feet (420 m3) per second downstream during floods.[13] The dam diverts water into both the East Side Canal and West Side Canal, irrigating 53,650 acres (217.1 km2) of land in the lower Mesilla Valley. The East Side Canal carries water 13.5 miles (21.7 km), and has a capacity of 300 cubic feet (8.5 m3) per second. The West Side Canal is larger, 23.4 miles (37.7 km) long, and carries 650 cubic feet (18 m3) per second. Interestingly, the West Side Canal crosses underneath the Rio Grande near its end in a structure called the Montoya Siphon.[3] [edit] American Diversion Dam and Canal, Franklin CanalThe American Diversion Dam is a gated dam between earthfill dikes on either side, about 2 miles (3.2 km) northwest of El Paso, Texas, and just upstream from the United States-Mexico border. It is 5 feet (1.5 m) high above the riverbed, and 18 feet (5.5 m) from crest to foundation. The dam spills water over a broad-crested weir in the center that is 286 feet (87 m) long. Its spillway can carry 12,000 cubic feet (340 m3) of water per second during flood events.[14] The dam diverts 1,200 cubic feet (34 m3) per second of the river's flow into the American Canal, which carries water 2.1 miles (3.4 km) to the beginning of the Franklin Canal. The Franklin Canal is 28.4 miles (45.7 km) long, carrying water into the El Paso Valley. The water it carries irrigates about 17,000 acres (69 km2) of land.[3] [edit] Riverside Diversion Dam and Canal, Tornillo CanalRiverside Diversion Dam is the final diversion dam on the Rio Grande for the Rio Grande Project. The dam is 8 feet (2.4 m) above the streambed, 17.5 feet (5.3 m) above its foundations, and 267 feet (81 m) long. Its spillway consists of 6 radial gates 16 feet (4.9 m) by 8.17 feet (2.49 m) in size, and an uncontrolled overflow weir serves as an emergency spillway.[15] The Riverside Canal carries water 17.2 miles (27.7 km) to the El Paso Valley. It has a capacity of 900 cubic feet (25 m3) per second. The Tornillo Canal branches 12 miles (19 km) off the Riverside Canal, carrying about 325 cubic feet (9.2 m3) per second. Excess waters from the canals are diverted to the Hudspeth County area.[3] [edit] Positive impacts The Rio Grande Project irrigates a long, narrow area estimated to be from 177,000 acres (720 km2) to 178,000 acres (278 sq mi)[1] in size, in the Rio Grande's valley in south-central New Mexico and western Texas. Crops grown in the region include grain, pecans, alfafa, cotton, and many types of vegetables. The project also includes a solitary hydroelectric power plant, the 27,945-kilowatt Elephant Butte Powerplant. Power generated at the power plant is distributed through a power grid totaling 490 miles (790 km) of 115-kilovolt transmission lines and 11 substations. This power system was built by the Rio Grande Project, and remained under its ownership until 1977, when it was sold to a private company.[7] The two main reservoirs formed by the Rio Grande Project are Caballo and Elephant Butte reservoirs, both of which are popular targets for recreational activities. Elephant Butte Reservoir, with an area of 36,897 acres (149.32 km2), is popular for swimming, boating, and fishing. Cabins, fishing tackle, and boat rental services are available at the reservoir. Downstream Caballo Reservoir, with an area of 11,500 acres (47 km2), is also a popular site for picnicking, fishing and boating.[3] [edit] Negative impacts Even before the project had begun, the waters of the Rio Grande were already overtaxed by human development in the region. At the end of the 1800s, there were some 925 diversions of the river in the state of Colorado alone. In 1896, it was affirmed by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) that the river's flow was decreasing by 200,000 acre feet annually. The river has run dry several times since the 1950s, even as far upstream as Big Bend National Park. At El Paso, Texas, the river is non-existent for much of the year. Tributaries of the river, both on the Mexican and American sides, have been diverted heavily for irrigation. The Rio Grande is said to be "one of the most stressed river basins in the world". [16] In 2001, the river failed to reach the Gulf of Mexico but instead ended 500 feet (150 m) from the shore behind a sandbar, "not with a roar but with a whimper in the sand".[17]  The river's decreasing flow has posed major problems for not only the river's health, but the national security of the United States. In the past, the river was wide, deep and fast-flowing in its section through Texas, where it forms most of the United States-Mexico border. Illegal immigrants once had to swim across the river at the border. With the river so low, at several places immigrants need only to walk across. Other than the extensive diversions, scientists are also naming exotic introduced, fast-growing plants, such as hyacinth and hydrilla, the culprit of the reduced flows. The weeds feed on the remaining water in the river and encroach rapidly, sucking water out of the Rio Grande. The United States government has recently attempted to slow or stop the progress of these weeds; by introducing insects and fish that feed on the invasive plants.[17] [edit] See also[edit] References
[edit] External links |
| ↑ top of page ↑ | about thumbshots |
