Rio Chama

Summer time is peak activity for the Bureau’s geologic mapping program. Although most of our field work is accomplished with 4-wheel drive vehicles and a sturdy pair of boots, sometimes those tools won’t do the trick. One of our active projects is mapping along the Rio Chama in northern NM. The best (and perhaps most fun) way to access the Rio Chama Canyon Wilderness is by boat. Recently, a team of mappers spent a week completing field work along the river’s edge, accessing the geology exposed in several of the larger tributaries. Major accomplishments include mapping Quaternary terraces and landslides, as well as developing the stratigraphy in relation to recently mapped areas adjacent to the current region of focus. This work helps to better understand the geologic features that are important to water resources, a long-term goal of the Bureau’s mapping program. More information about the Rio Chama can be found in our river guidebook (https://geoinfo.nmt.edu/publications/guides/riochama/home.cfml).