Albuquerque stopped drawing water from the Rio Grande on April 24 and processed its last surface water three days later — leaving the water authority running entirely on groundwater reserves months before summer heat peaks, a water authority spokesperson confirmed Wednesday.
The early shift marks a significant milestone in what water managers are calling one of the most difficult Rio Grande seasons in decades. One of the lowest snowpacks on record, the earliest snowmelt on record, and reservoir storage below 15% of capacity across the Rio Chama and Rio Grande system have combined to push the river toward another dry summer — repeating a pattern that has now struck the region multiple times in recent years.
Conserve now, officials say
When the Rio Grande runs low or dry, the Water Authority must draw on groundwater reserves meant to buffer future droughts, not bridge the current one — and those reserves are now the city’s only supply…