'How Is Reclamation Making Decisions?': Heinrich Asks Official About Rio Grande Water Allocations

Added: 2026-06-02

[00:00:00]You're hired.

[00:00:01]Thank you, Chairman. You're welcome. Um folks in the Senate and around the country have heard a lot about the Colorado River in the last couple of years. Uh this is the other water crisis for those of us who are split between the Colorado Basin and the Rio Grande Basin. Um this is the Pueblo of Santa Ana north of Albuquerque. Uh in a normal year it the river is between 3 and 4,000 cfs, cubic feet per second.

[00:00:27]Uh last year we thought it was an absolute emergency because it was at 600 cubic feet per second.

[00:00:35]This year it's at 200 right now.

[00:00:38]Um it's getting harder and harder to manage the Rio Grande in the current situation given that there's not enough water to go around. Uh Assistant Secretary Trevnik Trevnicheck um how how is Reclamation making decisions about allocations right now on the Rio Grande?

[00:00:59]Uh thank you for the the question, Senator.

[00:01:01]>> thank thank you for coming out to New Mexico last week. I appreciate you putting eyes on this yourself on the ground. Yeah, no, I was just going to mention that that uh it was it was good to be out there. Um was in El Paso on on Friday and then took the time to get over and see some of the infrastructure that you have within the state of New Mexico.

[00:01:17]And and you're exactly right. Drove over the Rio Grande and and that's what it looks like right now in some areas for sure. So uh so yeah, so we're we're definitely as it's working with the the allocations that that we work through, of course it's it's related to whether it's a a treaty that's in place, whether it's an agreement that's already in place. Uh and then also trying to see if there's areas where we can think outside the box if we've got that ability to to do so. So I think we're we're trying all the different tools in the toolbox. Uh also open to any new thoughts and ideas.

[00:01:44]I mean, at the same time we're having discussions related to desal, trying to see if there's areas for augmentation, water reuse. Um so we're we're looking at everything. You know, one of the reasons why we're in such a a a tough spot right now in the Rio Grande is because one of our most significant uh storage facilities, El Vado Dam, is at um uh it is basically off line right now. Needs to be refurbished. Has been a problem for a while. Uh when will Reclamation complete its assessment of which alternative to pursue to restore El Vado Dam?

[00:02:23]Uh appreciate the question, too. I know how important that dam is uh is to the state and to the water users recognizing the importance of the storage.

[00:02:31]Um so I was little get I'll be able to get a little bit of information of this, too, while I was on the road. So the the team that's working on it, the engineers. Uh so where we're at in the process right now, we're doing a field exploration study uh looking at where those impacts might be related to concerns on seepage. Uh so we are going to have to be doing some some drilling, looking at the foundation. Uh the goal is that the field work will be going on this summer. I think what's slated right now is that that May to September time frame. Uh but hopefully we can figure out what that preferred alternative is and then get that back up and running.

[00:03:03]Uh uh in this case, what I hope I don't see is a no action alternative because without El El Vado, we we're just like up a creek without a paddle.

[00:03:13]Poor metaphor for drought, but nonetheless.

[00:03:16]Um one of the tools you have to to sort of let some of the stress out of the system in um in the current situation that that uh of shortage across basins in the we- west is WaterSMART grant funding. And you know, the in Congress appropriated over $2 billion for WaterSMART in the bipartisan infrastructure law. I believe about 1.3 of that has actually been um uh spent so far.

[00:03:47]Are you looking at that as a way to try to create new wet water in some of these systems or at least let some of the stress out because we've had a a particular grant that I believe is is still tied up even though it had been approved.

[00:04:05]Uh, thank you for the question. Can you tell me which one it is that's tied up in the bill?

[00:04:08]>> Peak. Okay. Uh, Land Alliance. It was for forest thinning and trying to get the watershed to produce more into the into the system. Okay. I'll take that back to look at a little bit closer, but but know it's exactly right where we're looking to still maximize using those dollars that that we have from from previously putting those to good use.

[00:04:28]Uh, we continue to not only look at the the water smart ones that still exist, but the other programs as well. But I'll take that back. Um, Secretary Tell, um, for about a quarter century, Congress has directed the Army Corps and Reclamation to work with the National Academies of Science to to identify durable integrated water resource solutions for the Rio Grande Basin. Um, I understand the Bureau of Reclamation and the National Academies of Science are ready to start on that.

[00:04:57]They just need the Army Corps to fully participate. Is is the Army Corps going to participate in that?

[00:05:04]Uh, Senator, I'm showing in FY 26 no specific funding for this, but I'll get back to you. I I think General Graham has studied this one extensively.

[00:05:13][clears throat] General. So, Senator, we certainly understand your intent here and we do work collaboratively with the Bureau of Reclamation throughout the Rio Grande Valley. We don't believe that we have the authority nor funding to do the collaboration to send that funds to National Academy of Science, but our commitment to you is to come back to your staff to see if we can find a way forward on this, but we clearly understand your intent and we'll see if we can put together a path that gets us there. Uh, I appreciate your attention.