Open-file Report - 630
Evaluation of Groundwater Resources for Communities in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico

The New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources began a hydrogeologic study in regions of Rio Arriba County in 2023, funded by a state legislative appropriation. The primary goal of this study was to characterize the local and regional aquifers that currently supply local communities for domestic and municipal use. The study focused on the communities of Chama, Dixon, Abiquiu, Medanales, and El Rito. While surface water is primarily used for irrigation and farming, groundwater is the primary water source for domestic and municipal use for households, institutions, and businesses, supplied by a community system or private domestic wells. These communities have experienced water shortages during drought conditions when decreased amounts of rain and snow in the recharge areas (high elevations in nearby mountains) result in decreased recharge to the shallow alluvial aquifers. Drought conditions greatly affect surface water supply, causing an increase in water demand and, therefore, an increase in groundwater pumping. Therefore, as the climate warms, resulting in overall less recharge and increased evaporation, it is vital to characterize these shallow alluvial aquifers, as well as evaluate deeper aquifer systems and how the different aquifers interact with each other and the surface water system.

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