Estimating Evaporative Losses Incurred by Conveyance of City of Albuquerque San Juan-Chama Water: Jemez to Albuquerque Active

Objectives and Scope

The objective of this project is to determine evaporative losses incurred by conveyance of City of Albuquerque San Juan-Chama water from the mouth of the Jemez River to the point of diversion (Alameda Bridge), under various streamflow conditions. The width-discharge relation of the Jemez-to-Alameda Bridge reach of the Rio Grande will be approximated for the appropriate range of discharge. This relation, in addition to measured evaporation rates (Rio Grande Compact Commission, 2001, p. 66), will be used to estimate the evaporative losses of the City’s San Juan-Chama water between the mouth of the Jemez River and the Drinking Water Project (DWP) point of diversion.

Approach

This study will be approached in two general phases: data collection and data interpretation.

Phase I

The reach of the Rio Grande between the mouth of the Jemez River and the DWP point of diversion will be divided into reaches of similar physical and geomorphic characteristics. The appropriate range of discharge will be determined based on (1) the minimum flow of the Rio Grande, below which the City will not divert water, and (2) the maximum threshold flow, above which there is no increase in width with increases in discharge.

For each reach, width-discharge relations will be developed for various streamflow conditions within the appropriate range of discharge. Aerial photographs, which are available for a range of streamflow conditions, will be used to determine the width of open water, wetted and dry sand at 10 or more transects for each reach. An existing wetland database, which defines the perennial channel, seasonally flooded areas, and islands, may be used to supplement data collected from aerial photographs. Additionally, channel cross-section data collected by the USGS, US Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), and US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), will be used in developing width-discharge relations.

Phase II

Monthly evaporative-loss calculations will be made for the previously determined ranges of discharge. The calculations will be a function (1) total discharge in the channel, and (2) percentage of City of San Juan-Chama water in the channel. Assumptions include (1) seepage and transpiration losses are not a function of San Juan-Chama water and, therefore, can be neglected, and (2) channel morphology, which governs the width/discharge relation, does not substantially change over time.

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