The Cochiti Dam is an earthen fill dam built on the Rio Grande in Sandoval County, New Mexico, about 50 miles (80 km) north of Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It also holds back the Santa Fe River. By the amount of material used, it is the 23rd largest dam in the world, containing 62,849,000 cubic yards (48,052,000 cubic meters) of material. It is one of the ten largest dams in the United States and the 11th largest in the world. Cochiti Dam is one of four United States Army Corps of Engineers projects designed to manage flooding and control sediment on the Rio Grande. It works together with Abiquiu Dam, Galisteo Dam, and Jemez Canyon Dam.
Description
Cochiti Dam is mainly built to control flooding by reducing the effects of heavy rainwater flow. The dam and the lake it created also provide opportunities for recreation and support wildlife habitats. The dam's outlet can release water at a rate of 14,790 feet per second (418.8 meters per second).
The dam is managed to move water around the lake when the river below can safely handle the flow. Flood control actions begin when water entering the lake exceeds the river's capacity below the dam. Stored floodwater is released when the river can safely handle it, following the rules in Public Law 86-645 and the Rio Grande Compact.
Cochiti Dam marks the start of the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District (MRGCD), Cochiti Division. It manages water from an area of 11,695 square miles (30,290 square kilometers) that drains into the river.
History
Cochiti Dam was approved by the Flood Control Act of 1960, with a construction cost of US$94.4 million. In 1964, the act was changed to provide water for the development of fish and wildlife resources, as well as for recreation. A total of 50,000 acre-feet (62 million cubic meters) of water was set aside for filling the dam’s reservoir and to replace water lost to evaporation each year. This water was to come from water previously moved into the Rio Grande system by Public Law 87-843 of 1962. This law directed water from the Colorado River basin to the Rio Grande through the San Juan–Chama Project, which crosses the Continental Divide.
Cochiti Dam was one of the projects considered in 1966 for nuclear quarrying under Project Travois, part of Project Plowshare. After a similar project at Buchanan Dam in California was canceled, Cochiti Dam was the next site considered for using nuclear explosives to create large amounts of rockfill. However, because construction of Cochiti Dam was already underway, the plan was abandoned. Other dam sites in Idaho and Oregon were then considered.
Construction of Cochiti Dam began in 1965. Water was stored in Cochiti Lake starting in 1973. Before filling the lake, archaeological surveys were conducted. The filling of the lake covered the Cochiti Diversion Dam, which had been used for irrigation and repaired in 1958 by the United States Bureau of Reclamation as part of the Middle Rio Grande Project. The new Cochiti Dam replaced this older structure’s purpose.
The construction of the dam was opposed by the Cochiti Keres Pueblo people, who lost large areas of farmland due to the dam’s construction and the lake’s filling. The Cochiti Keres filed a lawsuit against the Army Corps of Engineers over the loss of their land and won the case. In 2001, the Army Corps of Engineers publicly apologized to the Cochiti Keres.
Cochiti Lake
Cochiti Lake has a permanent recreation pool that holds about 62,000,000 cubic meters (50,000 acre⋅ft) of water since the dam was completed. This pool includes an intermittent pond in the arm of the Santa Fe River and helps control sediment by trapping approximately 1,200,000 cubic meters (970 acre⋅ft) of sediment each year. The permanent pool is created and maintained by water from the San Juan-Chama Project. The remaining reservoir capacity, totaling about 672,000,000 cubic meters (545,000 acre⋅ft), is used for flood and sediment control. The normal pool surface of the lake is at an elevation of 5,335 feet (1,626 meters) above sea level.
There are two public recreation areas on the lake: one on the west side at Cochiti Recreation Area and one on the east side at Tetilla Peak Recreation Area. Other lands around the lake belong to the Pueblo de Cochiti Indian Reservation and are not open to the public. A visitor center near the park headquarters is available for public use. Fishing is allowed on the lake, with species such as smallmouth bass and northern pike available. Cochiti Lake is a no-wake lake, and boats must travel at trolling speeds only.
The pueblo of Cochiti and the Cochiti Dam
Cochiti, New Mexico, has been home to the Pueblo of Cochiti tribe for many years. This tribe is also called Ko-Tyit. Their language is Keresan. The Pueblo of Cochiti has a long history that began thousands of years ago. Their ancestors, the Ancestral Puebloans, lived near Frijoles Canyon around 1250 AD. For many years, the Spanish controlled their lives, and the Pueblo people faced slavery, unfair treatment, and the loss of their cultural and religious traditions. In 1680, the Pueblo of Cochiti joined a rebellion against the Spanish and moved to the area near present-day Cochiti, New Mexico. Today, the Pueblo of Cochiti lives on about 50,000 acres of land in New Mexico, outside of Albuquerque. Their population is less than 2,000 people. They are known for making jewelry, pottery, and drums.
Cochiti Lake is one of the largest man-made lakes in the United States. The lake and the Cochiti Dam were built and managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Congress approved the dam’s construction under the Flood Control Act of 1960. Work on the dam began in 1965, and the lake was filled with water in 1973. The dam was completed in 1975. The lake and dam are located in Sandoval County, New Mexico, on the reservation of the Pueblo de Cochiti Nation. Even though the dam is on tribal land, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built and manages it. Of the 50,000 acres of land that the Pueblo of Cochiti has lived on for generations, 11,000 acres are now occupied by the Cochiti Dam.
Indigenous peoples have lived on the land for thousands of years and have developed ways to care for the environment. They live on about 22% of the world’s land and help protect 80% of the Earth’s biodiversity. Indigenous peoples view the land as sacred and use it for spiritual and ecological purposes. The United Nations says that Indigenous Peoples are keepers of unique cultures and have traditions that are different from the societies around them. However, government projects like dams and roads have often forced Indigenous communities to leave their homes.
The creation of the Cochiti Lake and Cochiti Dam changed the way of life for the Pueblo of Cochiti. When the dam was built, water leaked from the dam and flooded the land of the Pueblo. This caused the Pueblo to lose their ability to farm, which was an important part of their economy. The dam also damaged a sacred place called The Whirlpool Rock, which is important for the Pueblo’s religious practices. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers destroyed The Whirlpool Rock even though they had promised not to. This action hurt the Pueblo’s cultural and spiritual traditions.
The Cochiti Dam has harmed both the environment and the culture of the Pueblo of Cochiti. Regis Pecos, a member of the Traditional Tribal Council, said that since the dam was built, the Pueblo has had to “fight for survival” in many ways, including culturally, politically, legally, economically, and environmentally. The Pueblo of Cochiti has a mission to protect their way of life and improve their community. Sovereignty means being able to govern themselves, and the Pueblo is working to regain control of their land and decisions.
The Pueblo of Cochiti strongly opposed the dam’s construction in the 1960s. However, their opposition weakened in the 1970s because of changes in the U.S. government, such as affirmative action and the Civil Rights Movement. The U.S. government used Pueblo members who served in the military during World War I, World War II, and the Korean War to help get support for the dam project. The government told these soldiers that they understood things better than others and could help make decisions. Because of this, the Pueblo lost their sacred and farming lands to the government. After World War II, the Pueblo had to find new ways to support themselves, such as working off the reservation.
The Pueblo of Cochiti has filed many reports and lawsuits against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. government. In 1976, the Pueblo reported that the dam caused water levels to rise, which damaged their farmland. A drainage system was built in 1976, but it did not fix the problem. In 1988, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers admitted the dam caused agricultural problems. In 1987, a study found that 550 of the 800 acres of farmland on the reservation could no longer be used for farming. A lawsuit was settled in 1990, and the U.S. government gave $4.5 million to help fix the drainage system.
The Pueblo of Cochiti also sued the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for destroying their sacred lands and harming their reservation. Their religion was not protected under the American Indian Religious Freedom Act because it was considered an “unorthodox religion.” This made it harder for them to protect their land. In 1983 and 1984, Congressman Bill Richardson helped the Pueblo of Cochiti get back 25,000 acres of their land. He is seen as a leader who helped during a difficult time for the Pueblo.
Cultural Survival is an organization that helps Indigenous Peoples protect their rights and traditions. Sandra Lee, an author for Cultural Survival, said the Pueblo of Cochiti is working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which she called an “unresponsive” government agency.
In 2016, the Pueblo of Cochiti supported a bill called S. 2643, also known as The Pueblo Of Cochiti Self Governance Act. This bill is part of the Westfield Settlement Agreement amendment of 2015. The bill would allow the Pueblo of Cochiti to manage their own affairs more independently.