The Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority (Water Authority) will reconnect approximately 11 acres of floodplain habitat along 1,900 linear feet of the Rio Grande approximately five miles south of downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Water Authority operates the Southside Wastewater Reclamation Plant, which treats approximately 55 million gallons of wastewater per day. The land surrounding the outfall is part of the Rio Grande Valley State park and is jointly owned by Middle Rio Grande Conservancy district and the Bureau of Reclamation. High-quality treated effluent is then released to the Rio Grande via an outfall channel on the east bank of the river. The project will reconnect the Rio Grande to its floodplain by excavating the banks, allowing water to stretch across the floodplain, restoring the river’s natural hydraulic processes and enhancing and adding 2.2 acres of expanded floodplain habitat for the endangered Rio Grande Silvery Minnow

More About this Archived Resource

Federal Agency: Department of the Interior

Category: Project