The Middle Rio GrandeValleyIn the guide we focus on what is known locally as the Middle Rio Grande Valley. This name is a bit misleading, for it does not represent the actual "middle" of the river, but rather refers to the approximate middle of the portion of the river that passes through New Mexico. This is typically defined as extending from Cochiti Dam, north of Albuquerque, downstream 160 river miles (260 km) to San Marcial, New Mexico. The Middle Rio Grande represents approximately a third of the river's length through New Mexico, but only 8% of the river's total length. The Middle Rio Grande watershed in turn represents about 14% of the whole Rio Grande drainage basin, or 24,760 mi2 (64,150 km2). The major tributaries along the Middle Rio Grande are (from the north to south)
The Middle Rio Grande Valley includes four New Mexico counties (Sandoval, Bernalillo, Valencia, and Socorro) and six Indian pueblos (Cochiti, Santo Domingo, San Felipe, Santa Ana, Sandia, and Isleta). Other principal land and facility managers include the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District, Bureau of Reclamation, Army Corps of Engineers, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, New Mexico State Parks, the City of Albuquerque Parks, Recreation Division, and private landowners. |
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