ESCAFCA PROJECTS

The first round of ESCAFCA funding will be used on the following projects:

Las Huertas Creek Prudent Line Study – Las Huertas Creek is the largest watershed in the ESCAFCA jurisdiction. In New Mexico’s typical conditions the banks of Las Huertas Creek are an idyllic location for a business or residence—however, during the monsoon season the potential for catastrophic flooding along this major watercourse is severe. According to hydrologic analysis, Las Huertas Creek is capable of generating flows as high as 15,000 cubic feet per second. In order to prevent further development in potentially dangerous locations along Las Huertas Creek, ESCAFCA has funded this study (similar to AMAFCA studies of the Calabacillas Arroyo) to assess the watershed’s geomorphology. This project will ensure future development along Las Huertas Creek is a safe distance from dangerous floodwaters by setting a “prudent line”, within which development will not be allowed. This line establishes the probable maximum extent of lateral erosion caused by “channel migration” during high-flow runoff events. The prudent line is a tool to ensure that any future construction is a safe distance from the active channel.

Placitas Floodplain Analysis & Re-Delineations – The most recent FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) for the Placitas area were completed using survey data that does not list approximately 241 Placitas area homes in a Zone A floodplain. As such, these homes are subject to mandatory flood insurance. Based on preliminary investigation, it is believed that a majority of these homes can be removed from FEMA designated floodplains through the Letter of Map Revision (LOMR) process. This project will analyze the FEMA designated flood zones in the Placitas area using a more detailed survey and provide baseflood elevations (BFEs) for all designated floodplains in the Placitas area. More importantly, this project will redelineate the 100-year floodplain boundaries such that many residents will no longer be required to carry FEMA-mandated flood insurance.

Juniper Road & Tecolote Road Drainage Improvements – This Placitas-area project is two small drainage projects, and represents one of several partnering efforts with Sandoval County Public Works. ESCAFCA is providing the funding for engineering of the roadway crossing on Juniper Road (just north of Cabezon Road/Cholla Lane) and Camino de Tecolote. The Juniper Road project will provide drainage improvements to ensure adequate capacity of crossing culverts, elimination of standing water, and improved slope safety. The Camino de Tecolote project will provide drainage improvements to ensure adequate capacity in roadway ditches and to eliminate erosion at the large steel plate pipe culvert at the Las Huertas Creek crossing.

Las Huertas Creek Drop Structure – As Las Huertas Creek makes its way from the rocky soils of the Sandias into the sandy soils of the Sandia foothills, the potential for damaging erosion increases exponentially. This erosion poses a threat to every structure in close proximity to Las Huertas Creek: roads, homes, and even buried pipelines. Drop structures are a proven countermeasure to combat erosion. Drop structures work by temporarily slowing floodwaters so that they are unable to carry suspended sediment. This project will construct a drop structure immediately downstream of the Camino de Las Huertas/Las Huertas Creek road crossing, where several gas pipelines have been exposed after high-flow producing rainfall events. This drop structure will actually reverse the erosion process at this location and “bury” the pipelines, minimizing the risk of pipeline exposure to nearby residents.

Los Romeros Road Conveyance Feasibility Study – This project will investigate the options for eliminating flooding of properties along Los Romeros Road in Algodones. Properties downstream of several unnamed arroyos experience flooding during even moderate rainfall. The flooding routinely causes damage to these properties and often breaches the MRGCD Algodones Acequia. This disrupts delivery of vital irrigation waters to many farm properties—even those who do not experience damage from actual floodwaters.

Athena Avenue Detention Feasibility Study – The Town of Bernalillo, Sandoval County, and ESCAFCA are partnering to investigate a drainage system that will safely move damaging floodwaters from the Town of Bernalillo to the Rio Grande. This project will provide immediate mitigation of flooding to residents by constructing a detention basin to capture floodwaters that currently pond against the BNSF railway embankment in the vicinity of Athena Avenue. This facility would represent the first of several in a system of surge ponds that will ultimately discharge into the Rio Grande. ESCAFCA’s role in this project will consist of drainage improvements. Ultimately, the property could be developed by the Town of Bernalillo for multi-use recreational facilities (e.g., soccer and/or baseball fields).

Other Projects– Study of flood problems on Camino de La Ciruela and surrounding properties, including roadway improvements. This project will also include Sandoval County cooperation.

The Mid-Bernalillo Diversion Feasibility Study will include analysis of a channel and detention facilities to collect and convey drainage runoff generated south of US 550 and provide an outfall from the Piedra Liza Dam to the Rio Grande. The study will include assessment of flooding problems along Avenida Bernalillo and the possibility of using the Mid-Bernalillo Channel to alleviate those problems.

Staff has also been working on assessments of the levee situation along the Rio Grande within the Town of Bernalillo. In a detailed study of the area along the Rio Grande by FEMA, the effectiveness of the levees to contain flooding within the river was downgraded and floodplain limits were increased within the Town of Bernalillo. ESCAFCA is negotiating support of a Corps of Engineers project to rebuild and certify the Rio Grande levees. This project could be in cooperation with several local entities including the Town of Bernalillo, MRGCD and the Corps of Engineers.

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