Human Use of the River and Bosque: 1540 to the 1800's
The first Europeans, led by Don Francisco Vasquez de Coronado, entered the middle valley in 1540. At that time, an estimated 25,000 acres (10,000 hectares) of land were being farmed. Cornfields intermingled with patches of cottonwood trees and 12 pueblos were established near present-day Albuquerque. Human influence on the Middle Rio Grande Valley increased considerably following the Spanish colonization, beginning in 1598. The Spanish introduced irrigation agriculture to the Pueblo Indians, which allowed the import of crops such as wheat and lettuce. During this period, more extensive riparian areas were cleared and water was diverted for agriculture, canals and acequias (irrigation ditches) were developed to bring water to the fields. By 1700, over 70,000 acres (28,000 ha) of land were being irrigated, and this increased to over 100,000 acres (40,000 ha) by 1800. By about 1850, valley communities were generally established in their present locations. The late 1800's was an influx of Anglo-Americans into the Rio Grande Basin, with increasing conversion of land to agriculture; a peak of about 125,000 acres (50,000 ha) irrigated for crops was reached in the middle valley in about 1880.
