USGS Water-Year Summary for Site 08286500

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	00060 Discharge(Mean)

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Water year 2023: 2022-10-01 to 2023-09-30

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USGS Water-Year Summary 2023

08286500 RIO CHAMA ABOVE ABIQUIU RESERVOIR, NM

LOCATION - Lat 36°19'07.76", long 106°35'58.31" referenced to North American Datum of 1983, Rio Arriba County, NM, Hydrologic Unit 13020102, on left bank 40 ft downstream from site of former bridge, 7.7 mi downstream from Rio Gallina, 9.0 mi northwest of Youngsville, 15.6 mi upstream from Abiquiu Dam, 30.3 mi downstream from El Vado Dam, and at mile 47.4.

DRAINAGE AREA - 1,600 mi² of which 100 mi² probably is noncontributing.

REVISIONS HISTORY - Peak gage height for water years 2003-2016 were revised on Dec. 8, 2022, based on changes to the gage datum.

SURFACE-WATER RECORDS

PERIOD OF RECORD - August 1961 to current year.

GAGE - Water-stage recorder with satellite telemetry and crest-stage gage. Elevation of gage is 6,280 ft above NGVD of 1929, from topographic map. Aug. 1961 to Oct. 1998, water-stage recorder at present site at datum 3.00 ft higher.

REMARKS - Water years 2014-2016; records good except for estimated discharges, which are poor. Water year 2017; records fair except for estimated discharges, which are poor. Water year 2018; records good except for estimated discharges, which are poor. Water years 2019; records poor. Gage height records from October 1, 2007 to February 13, 2018 are poor due to gage heights from the period being off of gage datum by as much as 0.31 feet. Flow regulated by El Vado Reservoir (station 08285000). Since May 1971, flow affected by release of transmountain water from Heron Reservoir (station 08284510). Diversions for irrigation of about 15,000 acres upstream from station.

EXTREMES OUTSIDE PERIOD OF RECORD - Major floods probably occurred on Sept. 29, 1904, Oct. 4 or 5, 1911, and May 22, 1920.

WATER-QUALITY RECORDS

PERIOD OF DAILY RECORD -
SPECIFIC CONDUCTANCE: October 1969 to December 1974, April 2003 to October 2007.
WATER TEMPERATURE: October 1962 to December 1974, April 2003 to October 2007.
SUSPENDED-SEDIMENT DISCHARGE: October 1962 to December 1974.

REMARKS - Daily values from October 1962 to December 1974 furnished by the Army Corps of Engineers, Albuquerque District. Interruptions in the record were due to malfunctions of the instrument. Water quality equipment removed October 2007.

EXTREMES FOR PERIOD OF DAILY RECORD - SPECIFIC CONDUCTANCE: Maximum daily, 2,200 microsiemens, Sept. 9, 2003; minimum daily, 81 microsiemens, Sept. 26, 2005. WATER TEMPERATURE: Maximum daily, 32.0 °C, Aug. 19, 1964; minimum daily, freezing point many days during winter months.