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Adapting Floodplain Reconnection with Climate Change Considerations along the Middle Rio Grande

Ty Smith, PE
Hazen & Sawyer
Charlottesville, VA

Co-Authors:
-- Water Authority:  Rochelle Larson, PE, Cetan Christensen, Kelsey Bicknell, Rowan Hannan, Mark Kelly
-- Hazen:  Greg Gates, PE, Ashley Kinsey, PE, Sarah Pierce, EIT

The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority (Water Authority) operates the Southside Water Reclamation Plant (SWRP) that sits along the eastern bank of the Rio Grande approximately 5 miles south of downtown Albuquerque. The SWRP treats and continuously releases around 55 million gallons per day of high-quality, treated effluent into a receiving channel within the Rio Grande State Park. This outfall channel and the surrounding area provide aquatic and riparian habitat/refugia for the Rio Grande Silvery Minnow ([RGSM] i.e., a federally listed species) and public recreational spaces for hiking, biking, and fishing. In 2020, the Water Authority identified and championed opportunities to:

  • make improvements to the surrounding areas of the SWRP outfall to benefit water quality;

  • facilitate public access; and

  • create additional habitat for the RGSM and other endangered species.

Historic approaches to RSGM habitat within the Middle Rio Grande have incorporated side channels and floodplain embayments based upon inundation at the 1500 cubic feet per second (cfs) flood event following the spring runoff. Monitoring has shown that without significant operation and maintenance (O&M) activities (i.e., silt removal) these sites aggrade and aquatic habitat is depleted. In addition, the 1500 cfs flood event is becoming less frequent as observed in the recent hydrologic record due to climate change. The Water Authority teamed with Hazen and Sawyer (Hazen) to develop a resilient, less burdensome O&M design to achieve the project goals. Hazen performed detailed hydrologic and hydraulic analysis to optimize the restoration design via floodplain terracing, rootwad revetments, and other bioengineering techniques. Design and permitting required close coordination with federal and local stakeholders, including the local irrigation district and the US Bureau of Reclamation. This presentation will highlight these design elements and our approach to designing a restoration site for long-term success by considering critical construction approaches with maintenance in mind within an environmentally sensitive area.

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