ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - A project to use water from the Colorado River’s watershed to recharge the Albuquerque area’s aquifer is underway.
The Water Authority for Albuquerque and Bernalillo on Thursday began pumping water for the first time from its Bear Canyon Recharge Project.
The project stores surface water obtained from Colorado as part of New Mexico’s share of the Colorado River. The water is allowed to seep into the bed of the Bear Canyon Arroyo. It then can be pumped out of the ground when needed for drinking water.
States such as Arizona, California and New Mexico have numerous recharge projects but the Water Authority says the Bear Canyon Recharge project is New Mexico’s first to store surface water in an underground aquifer for later use.
Withdrawals will continue through mid-November.
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