USGS Water-Year Summary 2024

08276500 RIO GRANDE BELOW TAOS JUNCTION BRIDGE, NEAR TAOS, NM

LOCATION - Lat 36°19'12.12", long 105°45'16" referenced to North American Datum of 1983, Taos County, NM, Hydrologic Unit 13020101, on left bank 1.7 mi downstream from bridge on State Highway 567, 2.0 mi downstream from Rio Pueblo de Taos, 11.8 mi southwest of Taos, and at mile 1,657.7.

DRAINAGE AREA - 9,730 mi² of which 2,940 mi² probably is noncontributing. (from the closed basin in San Luis Valley, Colorado)

REVISIONS HISTORY - WSP 788: 1934(M). WSP 828: drainage area. WSP 1392: 1931-1932, 1935, 1937, 1945, 1950.

SURFACE-WATER RECORDS

PERIOD OF RECORD - July 1925 to current year. Prior to October 1930, monthly discharge only, published in WSP 1312. Published as "at Taos Junction Bridge" prior to 1934.

GAGE - Water-stage recorder with satellite telemetry. Datum of gage is 6,050.3 ft above NGVD of 1929. Prior to Apr. 14, 1934, at bridge 1.7 mi upstream at different datum.

REMARKS - Water years 2014-2019; records good except for estimated discharges, which are poor. Diversions upstream from station for irrigation of about 620,000 acres in Colorado and 30,000 acres in New Mexico.

EXTREMES OUTSIDE PERIOD OF RECORD - Maximum flood since at least 1888, about 14,000 ft³/s June 19, 1903, from records for Rio Grande at Embudo and estimated inflow. Other floods exceeding 10,000 ft³/s occurred June 9, 1905, May 28, 1920, and June 16, 1921, from comparison of records for stations near Lobatos and at Embudo.

WATER-QUALITY RECORDS

PERIOD OF RECORD - Water years 1975 to current year.

PERIOD OF DAILY RECORD -
SPECIFIC CONDUCTANCE: October 2004 to April 2009.
WATER TEMPERATURE: October 2004 to April 2009.