Publication

Channel Width Changes Along the Middle Rio Grande, NM

URL: https://webapps.usgs.gov/mrgescp/documents/Makaretal_2006_ChannelWidthChangesalongtheMRGNM.pdf

Date: 2006/01/01

Author(s): Makar P., Massong T.M., Bauer T.

Publication: Proceedings of the Eighth Federal Interagency Sedimentation Conference (8th FISC), April2-6, 2006, Reno, NV

Abstract:

This paper describes the temporal and spatial characteristics of the river channel width of the middle Rio Grande during the twentieth century. The Rio Grande is an alluvial river that originates in the San Juan Mountains in southwestern Colorado and runs through New Mexico and Texas and along the border between Texas and Mexico. Historically, it had a wide, sandy, braided planform with a high sediment load and was aggrading (Scurlock 1998 and Lagasse 1980).

The flow regime of the Rio Grande has varied over time. There are two primary sources of change: climate and water resource development. Periods of extended drought or wet hydrology have in particular influenced the magnitude, duration, and frequency of channel forming flows and the river morphology as have water delivery and flood control facilities. Figure 2 shows a timeline of these events. The general effect on the middle Rio Grande hydrology has been that peak flows have decreased in magnitude while the discharge has increased during winter base flow periods.