| 7. | DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS
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| a.
| Approval of the 2024-25 Target Flow Hydrograph of 1,000 Acre Feet ( Alan Hook, Water Resources Coordinator, City of Santa Fe Water Division, [email protected], (505) 955-4205)
Alan Hook, Water Resources Coordinator, City of Santa Fe Water Division presented this year’s Target Flow Hydrographfor approval by River Commissioners.
Heidi Klingel, Zoë Isaacson, and Alan Hook had a prior meeting to develop the 2024-2025 living river hydrograph based on on this years snow pack and snow melt projections. The draft hydrograph reduced peak flows and added extra volume to the mid-season base flow during hotter, drier months. This will help channel saturation and move more water further downstream.
This was presented to the River Commission, much discussion ensued including the information that the San Isidro River Blessing will be on May 19th, which created a need to shift the Hydrograph to accommodate the event. If the channel is wet, the minimum pulse flow required to reach to San Isidro is 6 CFS for about half a day. Also in this discussion, Alan Hook explained how water flow is logistically carried out throughout the city, and briefly described the construction project at Nichols Dam.
Commissioner Jacob Lyon asked about the snow pack this year and if that informs how we should approach this year versus last year. Alan Hook responded that this year the way the run off is hovering barely above the 50% median whereas last year there was a lot of water coming in all at once. This year we don’t have the same volume of water, we are hovering above median inflow even though snow pack is about 100% of the 30yr median. 2024 is a good year for snow pack but not going to be like 2023.
After much discussion, the River Commission concluded to shift the projected graph up one week with an additional pulse of 6-7CFS to meet the San Isidro Blessing event on May 18th & 19th, at the cost of 4cfs for a week July 1-July 7, making the early July pulse smaller.
From 1CFS, up to 7CFS for May 19, down to 3CFS until early June peak of 5CFS, back to 3cfs, and other pulse of 5CFS starting July 1, which drops off again to 3 CFS and holds through august, drops again until September 1.
* After this meeting concluded, it was relayed to the Commission that the San Isidro Blessing is now scheduled for May 12th. The Commission approved via an email vote the Amended 2024-2025 Living River Target Flow Hydrograph to accommodate the Blessing on May 12, 2024 with a short duration pulse of 7 cfs.
| MOTION: |
Santa Fe County Commissioner Hansen moved, seconded by Voting Member Lyon, to Approve the 2024-2025 Living River Target Flow Hydrograph as amended. |
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| VOTE: |
The motion was approved on the following Roll Call vote: |
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| For: |
Member Bove, Chair Klingel, Santa Fe County Commissioner Hansen, Voting Member Smyth, Voting Member Lyon |
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| Against: |
None |
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| Abstain: |
None |
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b.
| River Commission Chair Heidi Klingel presented from the Two Mile Pond subcommittee: the committee has been in a holding pattern waiting for more information, and is excited to hear the first results of ecological studies and hydrological studies.
It is always considered a formal inquiry to approach the OSE with questions, which forces the city on a path that it may not be ready to be on at this time. Our City Council needs to be prepared before initiating that conversation with the state engineer.
Zoë Isaacson shared that the City is actively monitoring the Two Mile Pond Complex hopes to make the first set of data public shortly.
The studies are active and once draft is finalized we will post it to the public. The City is also looking into how to make the public interface better, so it’s synthesized and easy for the public to understand.
Zoë Isaacson also shared about the City recently submitting notice of intent for a FEMA grant for $7.8 million that would study Cerro Gordo crossing taking into account the hydrology of the are upstream between Nichols and Cerro Gordo Rd.
River Commissioner Pat Smythe presented an update on the GIS mapping project: Demonstrated the GIS website at this stage, landmarks where the reaches reach. Data from SFWA leading edge survey will be incorporated into the model for realtime updates on the location of water in the river.
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c.
| Love Your Watershed Day Planning (Heidi Klingel, River Commission Chair, [email protected])
River Commission Chair Heidi Klingel shared that the River Commission will be tabling at LYWD with flyers of the hydrograph and a QR code to the leading edge survey to help track the flow. Also a geology poster about where the living river may reach and info on the history of the Living River ordinance and River Commission.
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