Wet, Continued Wet with a Chance of Wet

Much to our surprise, the New Mexico monsoon* fired up on Sept. 15th.  In a few days inches of rain fell and the Rio is flowing again.  

Technically speaking, several trillion gallons of rain fell over the entire state during this last round of storms.  More moisture powered by a hurricane off the west coast of Mexico are expected in the days ahead.  

Happy Equinox, everyone!

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* Yes, we really have a meteorologically defined monsoon in New Mexico.  About half the year's precipitation falls between June and September, driven by moisture streaming northward from the Gulf of Mexico or the Gulf of California.  

 

Dry, Continued Dry with a Chance of Dry

A consortium put together a release of a couple thousand acre-feet of water into the 90+ day dry Rio Grande middle reaches.  The thirsty sands absorbed so much water that it took several days to reach the Central Bridge.  I don't even know if the "flood" made it to the gauging station at Valle de Oro.  

Sept. 3 waiting for water at the Gail Ryba Bridge

Within a few days the river bed was dry again.  On the prowl for lunch I crossed the Rio from the Botanic Garden to the west side and the cottonwoods in the bosque showed serious trouble.  Some had completely brown, dry canopies.  I suspect those trees will not survive.  Just a one shot estimate:  I'd say we could lose 20% of our trees.  

Sept. 7 looking north from Tingley "Beach"

On a brighter side, the water lilies and lotus at the BioPark have been flourishing.  With shorter days, they are flowering less prolifically, but they are still putting out a few spectacular blooms.  

Water, Water Everywhere (not)

While running errands this afternoon, I ducked down to the Open Space access at the west end of Gabaldon Pl.  I continued on foot across the little Gail Ryba Bridge, which crosses the Albuquerque Lateral.  It was flowing bank to bank.  

From there a short but hot and sunny walk up the ramp beyond took me to a river overlook.  I had hoped to find water in the river bed or, if I was incredibly lucky, actually see its wave front coming down the channel.

As it turned out, I saw neither.  The Rio is still as dry as ever.  The USGS website reports 248 cfs at the Alameda bridge and 212 at Paseo del Norte.  At the Central bridge and at Valle de Oro the flow is zero.  Only at Isleta is there a trickle, 48 cfs.  I think that value is the water from the lateral, which is delivered to the Pueblo, since they have priority.