By Jesse Jones
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Albuquerque District (USACE) announced that on the morning of Feb. 25, an unintended water release from Cochiti Dam released water at a rate of about 8,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) into the Rio Grande, raising concerns about potential flooding in the middle Rio Grande valley.
USACE spokesman Justin Graff said the release occurred due to a procedural error during routine maintenance. He said an internal review is underway to determine the exact cause and prevent future occurrences.
“Cochiti Dam is functioning as designed, properly. It’s not compromised in any way. It’s not broken,” Graff said.
The surge of water entered the Rio Grande between 10 a.m. and 10:50 a.m. and moved downstream.
According to Graff, the peak flow at San Felipe Pueblo reached 2,600 cfs, which is within the channel’s capacity and lower than a typical spring runoff. By the time the surge reached Albuquerque around 8 p.m., it had dissipated further, posing no significant flooding risk.
“We’ve had personnel go up and down [the river], checking out various points to observe for any major issues or flooding and so far, we’ve not observed any flooding or major issues,” he said.
Although no significant impacts are expected, USACE advises the public to avoid the river channel, riverbanks and floodway until 8 p.m. on Feb. 26 out of an abundance of caution.
According to a press release, hydraulic modeling shows water levels will return to normal without major impact beyond the river channel. Personnel continue monitoring downstream locations to assess flood risk.
“Public safety is our top priority. We are actively monitoring the situation and will provide updates as more information becomes available,” said the press release.
For updates, visit the US Army Corps of Engineers Albuquerque District Website.