Join Hermit’s Peak Watershed Alliance for a virtual tour of the Upper Gallinas Watershed, located in northeastern New Mexico. The tour will guide you from Johnson Mesa, near the headwaters of the Gallinas River, to the City of Las Vegas' Water Treatment Plant.
Upper Gallinas Watershed with two main tributaries and major roads.
On our journey, we will discover what makes a watershed, where our water comes from, and how as a community, we may impact and improve the quality and quantity of our water and the health of our watershed. We will also discuss the role of healthy forests, the importance of riparian habitat, tips for protecting our watershed while we recreate, how we’re working to restore damaged portions of our watershed!
The virtual tour of the Upper Gallinas Watershed consists of twelve stops and is meant to be explored using an electronic device such as a laptop, tablet, or smartphone. A driving guide pamphlet will be available in March 2022 for those who would like to get their boots dirty and explore the watershed in person. Keep in mind, not all stops are accessible to the public, but those that are will display the following symbol:
Visit the Hermit's Peak Watershed Alliance website in March 2022 to get your copy of the driving guide!
Tour Map
Explore the map for a sneak peak at what the Upper Gallinas Watershed virtual tour has in store!
But First, Let's cover the basics.
What is a Watershed?
A watershed is an area of land that drains all watercourses (creeks, streams, rivers), rainfall, and snowmelt to a common outlet (USGS 2021).
Water in a watershed travels in rivers, across farmland and forests, and over city streets. It also seeps into the soil and travels below the surface as groundwater.
Watersheds are more than just water.
This may sound silly, but watersheds are more than just water. They include soil, air, plants, animals, insects, and people. The health of a watershed is strongly influenced by how we treat and interact with each of these things.
Did you know that regionally, Gallinas translates to "chicken" whereas the more general translation is "fowl," like wild fowl or turkey!
Our community relies on a healthy watershed.
Healthy watersheds deliver many valuable resources to our communities in northeastern New Mexico. People’s connection to the Upper Gallinas Watershed goes back thousands of years! To this day, we still depend on wood from the forests and woodlands to keep our homes warm during the winter and forage in the grasslands to support livestock and wildlife. Most importantly, we depend on cold, clean, abundant water; and cold, clean, abundant water depends on a healthy and functioning watershed. El agua es vida!
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed the How's My Waterway tool to share watershed and water quality information with the public. Simply type in an address, zip code, or place and learn more about watershed conditions in the area!
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Watersheds come in all Shapes and Sizes.
Smaller watersheds are referred to as sub-watersheds and make up larger ones. The located in northeastern New Mexico, is a sub-watershed of the greater Gallinas Watershed. The Gallinas is a sub-watershed of the even larger Pecos Headwaters Watershed.
Even though the Upper Gallinas is considered small, it’s actually quite large. 48,969 acres to be exact. That’s 76 square miles or 36,784 football fields!
Sub watersheds are nested within larger watersheds. The Upper and Lower Gallinas Watersheds make up the Gallinas Watershed. The Gallinas is part of the Pecos Headwaters Watershed which is part of the even larger Upper Pecos Watershed and Rio Grande Basin. The Rio Grande Basin drains all sub watersheds within it into the Gulf of Mexico!
Take some time to explore the map on the left and get to know your watersheds!
The Upper Gallinas Watershed consists of 176 miles of stream.
The watershed begins at the headwaters on Elk Mountain at 11,661 feet and extends to the City of Las Vegas' Water Diversion Dam near Montezuma at 6,800 feet. Included in the watershed are Porvenir Canyon and the headwaters of Beaver Creek.
Evergreen forests make up the majority of the Upper Gallinas watershed.
According to the 2019 National Land Cover Dataset, the majority of surface land cover (vegetation type, surface water, or developed areas like towns and cities) in the Upper Gallinas is evergreen forest. Explore the map to the left to see the different types of land cover that make up the watershed.
The diagram shows a breakdown of land surface cover in the Upper Gallinas. Data sourced from the 2019 National Land Cover Dataset.
approximately 1/3 of the land in the Upper Gallinas is privately owned.
The other 2/3 is public land managed by the U.S. Forest Service. Over the last few decades, private and public land has transitioned from agriculture including livestock, timber, and hay production, to primarily residential use and land for outdoor recreation. Agriculture nowadays is typically small, non-commercial livestock operations, timber and hay production, and small subsistence farming.
The diagram shows the breakdown of land ownership in the Upper Gallinas Watershed. Data sourced from the Bureau of Land Management, 2021.
complex historical interactions between humans and the environment have shaped the land in the upper gallinas watershed.
This interplay of ecological, cultural, economic, and bureaucratic forces has had a major impact on the overall health of watersheds and local economies in northeastern New Mexico. Short-term land management objectives and land used in excess, has pushed resources in the region beyond their ability to regenerate. Only recently have we began to understand the effects of past land use practices and how as a community, we can improve the health of our watersheds.
Buckle up, The Upper Gallinas Virtual Tour begins now!
1. Johnson Mesa
The first stop on our tour is Johnson Mesa. Johnson Mesa is located southeast of Elk Mountain, the headwaters of the Gallinas River, which is the topmost point in the Upper Gallinas Watershed. This landmark is named after John Johnson, who served as District Ranger for the Pecos Wilderness during the early 1900's. Johnson Mesa was regularly used as a U.S. Forest Service lookout point to locate wildfires and is still visited today by many to take in the incredible mountain, valley and plains vistas. There you can spend the night (or several!) at the U.S. Forest Service campground that is located on the boundary of the Gallinas and Tecolote watersheds. The campground is open to the public year-round and includes dispersed campsites with access to picnic tables, fire pits, and vault toilets. Click here to learn more about the Johnson Mesa Campground.
Get a bird's eye view of the Upper Gallinas Watershed and catch a sunrise from Johnson Mesa!
Where does our water come from?
The climate in the Upper Gallinas watershed is influenced by both the Sangre de Cristo Mountains (the southern portion of the Rocky Mountains) to the west and the High Plains to the east. Summer climatic conditions are dry and windy, with monsoon rains arriving in late June. Winter precipitation is variable but snow is critical in keeping our rivers, creeks, and springs flowing, even during the dry periods.
The map shows the geographic location of the Upper Gallinas Watershed in orange in relation to the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the High Plains.
Our water originates as snow and rain, high in the mountains.
Our water in the Upper Gallinas Watershed comes from precipitation in the form of rain and snow. It all starts around 11,700 feet near Elk Mountain where snowfall collects and forms snowpack. Snowpack is water that is temporarily stored as snow. When the snow melts or when it rains, this water is captured by creeks and streams and drains to larger watercourses like the Gallinas River and Beaver Creek. Snowpack and snowmelt contribute to the base flow in the Gallinas River, Trout Springs, and Beaver Creek. Base flow is the amount of water that flows in a watercourse between precipitation events and typically comes from ground water or subsurface inputs.
Our water is part of the hydrologic cycle.
All the water that falls into our watershed will be stored as surface water, snowpack or stored within the watershed as ground water. It may also evaporate or be released by plants or soil through evapotranspiration. These processes are part of the hydrologic cycle. It is a balance of ground water and surface water that feed our rivers, creeks and reservoirs.
The diagram describes the different processes and interactions involved in the hydrologic cycle. Temperature determines the state of water - solid, liquid, or gas.
2. Baker Flat
Welcome to Baker Flat. Baker Flat is a day-use area on the Gallinas River in the Santa Fe National Forest. It is open to the public year-round and visitors can enjoy picnicking in the mixed conifer forest and fishing near the headwaters of the Gallinas River. Click here to learn more about Baker Flat and other nearby places to explore in the Santa Fe National Forest.
Restoring our forests is a priority in the Upper Gallinas Watershed.
Baker Flat provides the perfect vantage point to see forest restoration practices in action. Restoration is “the process of assisting the recovery of degraded, damaged, or destroyed ecosystems” and increasing their resiliency to disturbance (Society for Ecological Restoration, 2021). In other words, restoration not only tries to right past wrongs, but also helps the ecosystem respond to future changes. In New Mexico, forest restoration methods include thinning or harvesting select trees for timber, firewood, and wood products; prescribed burning; and planting seedlings after catastrophic wildfire.
Past forest management practices are impacting our forest's health today.
In New Mexico and throughout the Southwest, fire suppression and past logging and grazing practices have had a significant impact on the health of our forests. These practices have contributed to the frequency of large and severe wildfires, insect and pest infestations, and declines in biodiversity of both plants and wildlife. As a result, our forests have less ability to provide critical ecosystem services like sustainable timber, medicinal and edible plants, wildlife habitat, forage for livestock, or places to recreate. They are also less resilient to future changes like smaller, more frequent fires, or floods.
Historical photo of wildfire suppression.
Prescribed fire is a tool that can improve the health of our forests.
Prescribed fire is typically introduced after thinning the forest to safely reduce fuel loads and to encourage natural nutrient recycling. It can occur as pile or jackpot burns (burning caches of material) or a broadcast burn which covers the landscape in a mosaic fashion to mimic natural wildfire.
3. Native River Conditions
On our next stop, we'll explore Native River Conditions. Upstream of Gallinas Village there is a section of the Gallinas River that is wrapped in lush vegetation and meanders the entire width of the valley bottom. This section of river has not been altered in the same way as much of the Gallinas River to accommodate agriculture and represents native river conditions. Native river conditions exhibit stable stream characteristics for a section of river prior to modification or human intervention. Native river conditions assist in developing restoration goals and are referred to as a "reference reach."
Determining the reference reach is important because it helps to identify things like vegetation and riparian area characteristics, wildlife and suitable habitat, and stream channel dimensions and characteristics. All of these features serve as the blueprint for restoration.
Check out a bird's eye view of native river conditions in the Gallinas River!
Riparian areas are ribbons of lush, abundant and unique vegetation that grow at the margin of rivers, streams, and wetlands.
Up close, each riparian area looks a little different, but they have one thing in common - plants that only grow in wet conditions like willows, cottonwoods, sedges, and rushes. Willows and cottonwoods are especially important and in New Mexico, cottonwood-dominated riparian areas are known as bosques. Sedges and rushes are grass-like but thicker and heartier. An easy way to remember the difference between them – sedges have edges, rushes are round!
Carex emoryi (Emory's Sedge)
Equisetum hyemale L. (scouring rush)
In color aerial photos, riparian areas appear as a green line that follows the water drainage path across the landscape.
These green strips are extremely important in maintaining the health of a creek, stream, or river. Riparian areas trap and store sediment, build and stabilize riverbanks, store water, dissipate energy during high flows or floods, filter and buffer pollutants, maintain wildlife and insect biodiversity, and create cool, moist microclimates for the river.
The maps on the right show the reference reach from two different data sources. The map on the left displays data from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Wetland Inventory. The green polygon describes the riparian area as both a riverine and a freshwater forested/shrub wetland. The map on the right is satellite imagery collected from ESRI and displays the riparian area as vibrant green vegetation. Move the slider to compare the different data sources.
The illustration shows a cross sectional view of a stream channel. The tiers (floodplain and uplands) are associated with different vegetation types and are strongly influenced by the stream channel through regular flooding or access to the water table.
Rocks, sticks, and leaves provide food, shelter, and breeding sites for aquatic organisms.
Instream habitat is the woody debris, rocks, and aquatic vegetation that provide food, shelter, and breeding sites for aquatic organisms like fish, amphibians, and insects. Instream habitat is also vital to the health of streams and rivers and can tell us a lot about the current condition of these watercourses. Rocks, sticks, logs, and vegetation can help stabilize streambanks and may even help shape the channel by contributing to the formation of channel bars and pools.
4. El Porvenir Campground
Situated in a mixed conifer forest in Porvenir Canyon near Beaver Creek and El Porvenir Christian Camp is El Porvenir Campground. Here there are 13 developed campsites with picnic tables, fire rings, grills, and bear-proof bins for visitors to utilize from May to December 31st. Click here to learn more about El Porvenir Campground and all of the sites and activities the Santa Fe National Forest has to offer.
El Porvenir Campground is located near the confluence of the Gallinas River and Beaver Creek. Beaver Creek is an important tributary to the Gallinas River and acts as a cold-water input to help cool the river.
The figure above highlights the restoration area at El Porvenir Christian Camp and describes the position and location of proposed in-stream restoration features. Click to expand the figure and get a closer look at the restoration plan!
In the fall of 2020, Hermit’s Peak Watershed Alliance, through funding from the New Mexico Environmental Department and in collaboration with Watershed Artisans Inc., completed an instream restoration project at El Porvenir Christian Camp. The restoration included 12 new water features to help direct water into deepened existing pools and newly constructed pools. This was done to increase water storage within the protective riparian area while also creating fish habitat, an area for stream energy to dissipate, and to allow stream water to cool before it joins the Gallinas River.
PV1 pre-restoration
The photos in the left column are taken pre-restoration. The photos in the right column are taken post-restoration. Both photo groups were taken in 2020. Row 1 (PV1) looking upstream, shows an excavated boulder step pool. Row 2 (PV3) looking downstream, shows an excavated boulder step pool in a thinned riparian area. Row 3 (PV6) at bank right, shows a constructed log jam above an excavated pool in a thinned riparian area.
Pack it in, Pack it out!
Remember that how we interact with natural resources impacts the health and integrity of our watershed. Before you leave your picnic or camping area, take some time to “naturalize” your site. Our public lands and wilderness areas are for all to enjoy, and we have a responsibility to preserve our natural spaces for generations to come.
Leave the space in better condition than you found it.
The Center for Outdoor Ethics developed theLeave No Trace Seven Principles that are important to know, follow, and share when recreating outdoors.
Recreating in and around riparian areas requires extra care and consideration.
When we’re recreating in spaces like Beaver Creek, we should take extra care and help protect sensitive riparian areas by doing the following:
Camp and keep vehicles at least 200 feet away from riparian water sources
If toilets are unavailable, dig a hole and bury waste at least 200 feet away from riparian areas
Clean fish away from the water and dispose of all waste in the garbage or a trash bag
Always take your garbage and food scraps home with you or dispose of it in trash containers
Stay on designated roads and trails
5. Gallinas Village Fire Department
The village of Gallinas is nestled in the Gallinas River valley approximately 12 miles northwest of the city of Las Vegas. Downstream from the Gallinas Village Fire Department is the next stop on our virtual tour and where we will discuss floodplains and why they're important to our watersheds.
The map above describes the location on the Gallinas River and within the Upper Gallinas Watershed where the floodplain restoration was implemented.
In 2019, Hermit’s Peak Watershed Alliance completed a floodplain restoration project with funding through New Mexico Environment Department's River Stewardship Program. The project consisted of complete in-stream restoration on a 1/2 mile section of the Gallinas River in the village of Gallinas. The specific project objectives include:
regain floodwater, sediment, and debris access to the floodplain
improve distribution of floodwater across the floodplain
restore native vegetation to the floodplain area
restore healthy and appropriate stream bank and channel
enhance riparian vegetation.
The maps above display side-by-side aerial imagery of the Gallinas Village restoration site before and after the floodplain restoration project.
The photos in the left column are taken pre-restoration. The photos in the right column are taken post-restoration. Row 1 shows a new floodplain bench, constructed pools, and fish structures. Row 2 shows streambank anchoring and erosion control treatments, a new pool, and improved sinuosity. Rows 3-5 show constructed cobble bars that narrow the channel and improve sinuosity.
Small scale, regular flooding is important to a river's health.
Aquatic organisms like fish, amphibians, and insects that live along rivers and streambanks rely on access to the floodplain and floods to reproduce. Floodplains also store water that is later released to keep rivers flowing longer and improve water quality by filtering harmful pollutants and excess sediment.
The figure shows that through flooding and deposition of sediment, the stream channels builds upon itself over time and changes shape.
Floodplains help to protect buildings, bridges, and roads by providing a space for water to slow down and spread out.
Floodplains provide a space to dissipate the water’s energy and allow for the water to infiltrate into the soil. Decreasing the energy of the stream or river when flooding also prevents the stream from downcutting, which changes the shape of the stream channel and can lead to entrenchment.
Entrenchment leads to a lower water table.
Entrenchment, or the disconnection from the floodplain, lowers the water table, reduces floodplain and riparian vegetation, critical habitat, and wetlands. Plants that rely on moist soils and access to the water table, are starved of water and nutrients. Plants that are adapted to dryer soil conditions, which are sometimes invasive, move in and outcompete the native plants. This transition has a major impact on the ecological wellbeing of a riparian area and can be difficult to reverse. Severe entrenchment drastically changes the shape of the stream channel, paired with changes in plant communities, it is difficult for a river to recover on its own and will continue to down cut and destabilize.
The photo shows an entrenched stream channel. The floodplain is no longer accessible to the stream and the steep banks are void of vegetation and very susceptible to erosion. Notice the juniper in the foreground - this is not the typical habitat for a juniper and it is taking advantage of the lack of competition for resources from other plants.
Roads, culverts, trails, and old wagon ruts can also lead to entrenchment.
These features created by humans, livestock, and wildlife disrupt the hydrology of the landscape and have the ability to capture surface runoff and channelize it, increasing the velocity and quantity of water in a given space. When chutes of high velocity water converge in a stream channel, the energy as a whole increases. The water strips away bare, fragile soil and scours the stream bed with larger debris that is carried in the flow, causing the stream channel to become entrenched.
The figure shows a cross section of a stream channel and describes the phases of a stream as it widens and becomes entrenched. (a) shows terraces in a non-incised stream with the floodplain accessible. Native vegetation stabilizes the banks and accesses water and nutrients in the soil. (b and c) show incised streams. As each terrace becomes disconnected from the stream, the water table adjusts and lowers. This negatively impacts riparian vegetation on the historic flood plain.
The photo on the right is an example of how an old road disrupts the hydrology of the landscape. Runoff is captured in the arroyo and channeled downstream, where it meets the stream. The exposed soil is susceptible to erosion and with every precipitation event, there is potential for entrenchment in both the arroyo and stream channel below.
6. Trout Springs
Trout Springs is a cold-water tributary to the Gallinas River. The confluence of Trout Springs is located on private land approximately 1.5 miles downstream from the Village of Gallinas. According to the New Mexico Environmental Department, the Gallinas River does not support its beneficial use of cold-water aquatic life and the creek is categorized as impaired as a result of warm water temperatures. In order to support cold-water aquatic life, water temperatures should not exceed 68°F. Water temperatures in the Gallinas River regularly reach 70°F and have been recorded as high as 86.7°F in 2003.
Water temperature is influenced by many factors in the environment.
Air temperature, topography, groundwater inputs (groundwater is typically much cooler than surface water), the amount of water in a stream, shade, slope aspect (which direction a slope faces relative to the sun), and the shape and size of a stream, all impact the temperature of water that flows in it. Humans influence the temperature of a stream by removing streamside vegetation and widening a stream’s course, both of which contribute to warmer water temperatures.
The graph shows daily maximum temperature readings in Trout Creek at monitoring point T3 from May-September for years 2011 to 2020. Water temperature data can give us insight into what is happening in the watershed, help identify restoration opportunities, as well as detect changes in our climate.
Warm water has less oxygen available for fish.
High stream temperatures are problematic because warm water holds less dissolved oxygen than cold water. This can be fatal to species of trout like the popular non-native Rainbow Trout, who rely on water temperatures between 55°F and 60°F. Planting riparian vegetation to provide shade and narrowing and deepening a stream channel may help to cool stream waters, creating more suitable habitat for fish.
The graph shows daily temperature readings in Trout Springs at monitoring point T3 from May 2020 to September 2020. The average daily water temperature is 16°C/62°F which falls outside the suitable temperature range for rainbow trout. The daily maximum water temperature is 20°C/68°F which exceeds the upper threshold for rainbow trout habitat as well as the threshold to be categorized as a cold-water fishery, thus making the Gallinas River impaired, and not suitable for cold-water aquatic life.
Shaded, narrow, winding streams have lower water temperatures.
Stream restoration efforts often focus on putting the "wiggle" back in the stream channel. The wiggle refers to a stream's sinuosity. Streams with sinuosity are longer in length with cooler water temperatures. As the water flows downstream, it slows down and mixes with cooler water stored in deep pools. We just learned how important riparian and streamside vegetation is in providing shade, and keeping stream water cool and habitable. Stream restoration plans may also include revegetating riparian areas and working with landowners to develop watering and grazing systems to ensure riparian areas remain intact.
Watch the video below to learn how Hermit's Peak Watershed Alliance is monitoring temperature along the Gallinas!
Hermit's Peak Watershed Alliance's Land Stewardship Series: Monitoring Temperature Along the Gallinas River
7. High Point
High Point, is just as it sounds, the highest point along Highway 65 in Gallinas Canyon. To the west, High Point offers a commanding view of the headwaters of the Gallinas River and its tributaries. To the east, the United World College and the town of Montezuma come into view.
Layers of rock oriented in different directions tell an important story.
If you turn your eyes from the valley to the roadcut, you will notice layers of rock that appear to be stacked both horizontally and vertically. This is a geological feature called an unconformity.
Unconformity indicates a major gap in geologic time.
The sediment that created the vertical layer was originally deposited as a horizontal layer and is nearly 1 billion years older than the horizontal layer. About 4 million years ago, after the sediment turned to rock, a process know as lithification, the Sangre de Cristo mountains began to uplift and tilted the lower bed to a near vertical position.
Believe it or not, the unconformity in Gallinas Canyon is an extension of the Great Unconformity in the Grand Canyon!
Erosion and weathering erase millions of years in the geologic record.
What happened to the missing layers of rock through geologic time? After tilting, weathering and erosion removed nearly a billion years of geologic record. New layers of sediment were later deposited horizontally on top which create the juxtaposition of sedimentary rock layers.
To learn more about the fascinating processes involved in unconformity, including information about the Great Unconformity in the Grand Canyon, click here.
The limestone layer found on Hermit's Peak tells us it was once underwater.
Research conducted by students and faculty in the New Mexico Highlands University Geology Department, shows that Hermit's Peak is a mass of magma that cooled in-place in the Earth's crust during the formation of North America 1.7 billion years ago. Hermit’s Peak is also capped with limestone, which means it was below water at one point, and has since uplifted to the elevation it is at now!
Fossiliferous rocks similar to those found on top of Hermit's Peak.
Click here to access the abstract summarizing the above research conducted by Lindline et al.
8. USGS Gauge Station
In the Gallinas River, upstream of the diversion dam, is a gauge station that is owned and maintained by the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Gauge stations are devices used by hydrologists to monitor streams, rivers, wells, and reservoirs. These stations collect many types of data, but in the Gallinas River, water height and discharge (flow) are collected. This portion of the Gallinas River is located in the protected watershed owned by the City of Las Vegas and is not accessible to the public. These restrictions are put into place to ensure the quality and quantity of water that the citizens of this region rely upon.
Flow measures the volume of water transported by a stream over a period of time.
Discharge or flow is the amount of water that passes through a cross-sectional area of a stream or river during a period of time. It is measured in cubic feet per second (CFS).
Flow is calculated by multiplying the velocity of water by the area of the stream channel or Q=VA. Area is determined by multiplying the width of stream by the depth or A=WD.
The Annual Flow in the Upper Gallinas Watershed is Variable.
Many factors influence the flow rate in the Gallinas River including the amount of snowpack, monsoon rains, upstream diversion, and climate change. Aquatic organisms depend on regular seasonal flows to access food, shelter, and breeding and reproduction sites. Humans rely on regular seasonal flows for food, recreation, and access to water for drinking and agriculture.
The graph generated by USGS shows daily discharge (flow) readings from 2011 to 2021 as taken at the USGS Gauge Station near Montezuma. The orange line represents the average daily discharge for the last 93 years and how it relates to more recent discharge levels.
Low flows mean warmer water temperatures.
There is an inverse relationship between discharge and water temperature in the Gallinas River. The higher the discharge, the lower the annual stream temperature average. This is especially important to remember as we plan for more frequent periods of drought and the onset of climate change.
The figure shows the inverse relationship between stream discharge and stream temperature - as discharge decreases, water temperature increases.
9. Water Diversion Dam
Downstream of the USGS gauge station is the City of Las Vegas' Water Diversion Dam, located within the city's protected watershed. The original diversion dam was completed in 1911 but after several floods and significant damage, a new diversion dam was constructed downstream of the original. From the dam, water is diverted to a settling pond where it is stored while sediment drops out and settles to the bottom. From the settling pond, water is again diverted to two separate reservoirs, Peterson and Bradner. Peterson reservoir was the first to be constructed and currently stores over 100,000,000 gallons of water. As the city of Las Vegas' demand for water increased, additional storage was needed and Bradner reservoir was constructed.
The original diversion dam built from 1910-1911 on the left. The current diversion dam located downstream of the original, on the right.
How do we use the water in the Upper Gallinas Watershed?
How humans utilize water resources for domestic, municipal, agricultural, industrial, energy, or recreational purposes is referred to as a beneficial use. Beneficial uses determine how we may use the water and define standards for water quality. Beneficial uses and their corresponding standards are developed and enforced by the New Mexico Environment Department.
The Gallinas River is classified as impaired based on its beneficial use as a cold-water fishery.
In the case of the Gallinas River, the beneficial use is deemed a cold-water fishery. This means that in order to support cold-water aquatic life, like the native Rio Grande Cutthroat, the water temperature must not exceed certain standards. As we know from our stop at Trout Springs, water temperatures do exceed the standard for cold-water fisheries, and the Gallinas River is classified as impaired.
Water rights are legal rights to divert or impound public water for a specific beneficial use.
Beneficial uses in this case means utilizing water resources for irrigation, livestock, industry, or recreational purposes. In New Mexico water rights are established and prioritized based on prior appropriation. In other words, who was there first and what is the beneficial use? Water rights can be forfeited if water is utilized outside of it's permitted beneficial use or if the water is no longer being used - "use it, or lose it."
For more information about water rights, click here!
10. Skating Pond
Near the base of Gallinas Canyon and upstream from the United World College is the Skating Pond. Before the skating pond came to be, this section of the Gallinas River was a small reservoir created by Agua Pura Company in 1880. A dam was constructed upstream of Montezuma and water was transported by pipe from the reservoir to Las Vegas homes and fire hydrants. With the expansion of the railroad came a growing demand for ice and Agua Pura Company soon discovered a new purpose for the reservoir. The steep vertical cliffs in Gallinas Canyon shaded the reservoir, keeping the surface frozen for several months during the winter season. Agua Pura Company constructed a total of nine ice ponds in the Gallinas River and harvested over 50,000 tons of ice annually while providing seasonal employment to over 300 people.
Wildlife plays an important role in shaping ecosystems.
Water diversions, dams, and reservoirs were built throughout the Upper Gallinas Watershed to support the growing population in Las Vegas as well as local agriculture and industry. This infrastructure was constructed by the hands of many humans and in more recent times, built with machines. We've learned a lot so far about how humans have manipulated the landscape, but what about wildlife? Through their ability to "read"the landscape and the significant role they play maintaining riparian ecosystems, beaver are often referred to as ecological engineers.
Beaver help maintain the health of riparian areas.
The dams they construct slow water, creating additional water storage and diverse habitats for aquatic species. The water that is backed up spreads laterally, seeps into stream banks, and deposits nutrient-rich organic material into the soil which supports a variety of plant species. In the summer, water is released from behind the dam, keeping the stream flowing and cool.
Beaver ponds filter large amounts of sediment, protecting vulnerable aquatic organisms downstream.
Deep beaver ponds collect sediment that would otherwise drown fish eggs and aquatic insects downstream and degrade water quality. When beaver move on, this nutrient-rich sediment will replenish the meadow and nourish new willows, cottonwoods, aspens and wildflowers.
Humans can have conflicts with beaver but there are many ways to reduce those conflicts so beaver can continue to help keep our watersheds healthy. To help spread the good word about beaver, Wild Earth Guardians and Hermit's Peak Watershed Alliance developed a series of videos that explore the critical role beaver play in our watersheds. Click below to learn more!
On the south side of the Gallinas River, adjacent to the United World College are the Montezuma Hot Springs. The seeps and springs begin approximately one half mile upstream of Montezuma and continue 1,500 feet downstream. The hot springs have long been sought after for their restorative properties and continue to provide relaxation to visitors today. The baths range from the lobster pot at nearly 120°F to more temperate baths, each believed to have healing minerals to help cure a variety of ailments.
Montezuma Hot Springs with the United World College in the background.
The hot spring water originates as rain and snow.
Rain and melting snow infiltrate the soil and percolate into permeable layers of rock underground. Water moves through these layers of rock until it reaches an impermeable, dam-like layer. In the same manner, water then backs up and rises to the surface as springs and seeps. But how does the spring water get so hot?
Water percolating to great depths may be the source of heat.
The source of heat remains uncertain but scientists believe there are three potential ways. In each process, water is heated underground and rises to the surface as hot spring water.
Water may be heated by its proximity to earth's core, hot subsurface rocks, or magma!
The first potential way water is heated is through the geothermal gradient. That's a fancy way of saying the closer to the Earth's core, the hotter the temperature. In this case, the water that is percolating through permeable layers of rock is increasing in temperature as it moves downward.
The second way is by water coming in contact with crustal basement rock layers that have been uplifted. These rock layers retain heat as a result of their proximity to Earth's core and transfer heat to water passing through.
The third potential way is water that is being heated by subsurface magma extending from a nearby volcanic cone. Wow!
12. Water Treatment Plant
Our final stop on the virtual tour is the City of Las Vegas' Water Treatment Plant. Located five miles northwest of Las Vegas, the Treatment Plant is responsible for storing, cleaning, sterilizing, and transporting water to our faucets. The Gallinas River is the primary source of our water and prior to treatment, it is stored in Peterson, Bradner, and Storrie Reservoirs.
Sedimentation pond where particles settle to the bottom. A critical step in treating our water!
During the Treatment Process, Water undergoes a series of sequential steps to remove large particles and contaminants.
These steps include coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection.
During the coagulation process, chemicals are added to water that bind to dirt particles to create sticky masses of dirt and debris. Next during flocculation, water is gently mixed and masses grow larger as they attract smaller bits of dirt and debris. When the mixing is complete, the large particle masses settle to the bottom. This process is called sedimentation. Water then passes through sand, gravel, and charcoal filters to remove smaller particles during the filtration process. During the last step, chlorine is added to remove bacteria and other harmful microorganisms.
Click on the video to learn more about the processes involved in treating our water!
Hermit's Peak Watershed Alliance teamed up with the folks at the City of Las Vegas Water Division to create an informative video that takes a closer look at how water gets from the Gallinas River to our faucets. Check it out!
There are numerous ways each of us can help to ensure clean, cold, and abundant water supplies.
Maintain and protect riparian vegetation around stream corridors
Limit livestock access to riparian areas during the growing season
Avoid building any infrastructure in floodplains or building roads and trails across streams
Support beaver
Avoid manipulating or straightening stream channels (U.S. Army Corp of Engineers 404 permit is required by law!)
Collect and store rainwater for gardens, lawns, and washing vehicles
Use only the water that you need
Clean up pet waste
Properly store and dispose chemicals like oil, gas, and antifreeze and never pour chemicals into storm drains
Turn off the water while brushing our teeth, shaving, and washing dishes, and limit showers to 5 minutes.
That's a wrap, Folks. Thank you so much for joining us!
We hope that you had as much fun as we did touring the Upper Gallinas Watershed. We covered a lot of ground during our tour and discussed many important watershed health topics. We, as individuals and as communities, play an integral role in the health of our watershed. The way we interact with streams, soil, wildlife, plants, insects, and each other, impacts how each of these components interacts with one another. Our care and attention are critical in ensuring clean, cold, and abundant water in the Upper Gallinas Watershed for generations to come. Please come back and visit us anytime!
Feeling inspired?
You are an essential part of our work in building a community that cares for the land and water here in northeastern New Mexico. Join us and you’ll receive the inside scoop on all of our programs, projects, and events.
Upper Gallinas Watershed with two main tributaries and major roads.
The figure above highlights the restoration area at El Porvenir Christian Camp and describes the position and location of proposed in-stream restoration features. Click to expand the figure and get a closer look at the restoration plan!
The map above describes the location on the Gallinas River and within the Upper Gallinas Watershed where the floodplain restoration was implemented.
Montezuma Hot Springs with the United World College in the background.
Sedimentation pond where particles settle to the bottom. A critical step in treating our water!
Sub watersheds are nested within larger watersheds. The Upper and Lower Gallinas Watersheds make up the Gallinas Watershed. The Gallinas is part of the Pecos Headwaters Watershed which is part of the even larger Upper Pecos Watershed and Rio Grande Basin. The Rio Grande Basin drains all sub watersheds within it into the Gulf of Mexico!
The diagram shows a breakdown of land surface cover in the Upper Gallinas. Data sourced from the 2019 National Land Cover Dataset.
The diagram shows the breakdown of land ownership in the Upper Gallinas Watershed. Data sourced from the Bureau of Land Management, 2021.
The map shows the geographic location of the Upper Gallinas Watershed in orange in relation to the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the High Plains.
Carex emoryi (Emory's Sedge)
Equisetum hyemale L. (scouring rush)
The illustration shows a cross sectional view of a stream channel. The tiers (floodplain and uplands) are associated with different vegetation types and are strongly influenced by the stream channel through regular flooding or access to the water table.
The figure shows that through flooding and deposition of sediment, the stream channels builds upon itself over time and changes shape.
The figure shows a cross section of a stream channel and describes the phases of a stream as it widens and becomes entrenched. (a) shows terraces in a non-incised stream with the floodplain accessible. Native vegetation stabilizes the banks and accesses water and nutrients in the soil. (b and c) show incised streams. As each terrace becomes disconnected from the stream, the water table adjusts and lowers. This negatively impacts riparian vegetation on the historic flood plain.
The graph shows daily maximum temperature readings in Trout Creek at monitoring point T3 from May-September for years 2011 to 2020. Water temperature data can give us insight into what is happening in the watershed, help identify restoration opportunities, as well as detect changes in our climate.
The graph shows daily temperature readings in Trout Springs at monitoring point T3 from May 2020 to September 2020. The average daily water temperature is 16°C/62°F which falls outside the suitable temperature range for rainbow trout. The daily maximum water temperature is 20°C/68°F which exceeds the upper threshold for rainbow trout habitat as well as the threshold to be categorized as a cold-water fishery, thus making the Gallinas River impaired, and not suitable for cold-water aquatic life.
Fossiliferous rocks similar to those found on top of Hermit's Peak.
Flow is calculated by multiplying the velocity of water by the area of the stream channel or Q=VA. Area is determined by multiplying the width of stream by the depth or A=WD.
The graph generated by USGS shows daily discharge (flow) readings from 2011 to 2021 as taken at the USGS Gauge Station near Montezuma. The orange line represents the average daily discharge for the last 93 years and how it relates to more recent discharge levels.
The figure shows the inverse relationship between stream discharge and stream temperature - as discharge decreases, water temperature increases.
