Albuquerque Shifts to 100% Groundwater as Rio Grande Hits 30-Year Drying Record
Why It Matters
New Mexico’s largest city is now drawing its entire water supply from underground reserves — months before summer demand peaks — after the Rio Grande dried earlier than at any point in the past three decades. The shift signals a deepening water crisis across the Middle Rio Grande Valley that threatens city residents, agricultural operations, and several federally protected wildlife species.
What Happened
The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority halted Rio Grande withdrawals on April 24, completing the processing of its final surface water three days later. The city is now running entirely on groundwater reserves that water managers describe as a buffer against future droughts — not a routine supply source for the current season.
The early transition reflects a confluence of damaging conditions: near-record low snowpack in the mountains above the basin, the earliest snowmelt runoff ever recorded due to unusually high spring temperatures, and reservoir storage across the Rio Chama and Rio Grande system that has fallen below 15% of capacity.
Drying in the San Acacia reach south of Albuquerque began March 27 — the earliest recorded onset in approximately 30 years, according to the Bureau of Reclamation. The Rio Grande previously ran dry in the Albuquerque reach in 2022 and again in 2025, suggesting the region is confronting a recurring and potentially worsening pattern.
By the Numbers
- April 24: Date Albuquerque stopped drawing from the Rio Grande
- Below 15%: Current storage capacity across Rio Chama and Rio Grande reservoirs
- March 27: Earliest onset of river drying in the San Acacia reach in 30 years
- 5: Threatened or endangered species living in or along the affected river corridor
- 2022 and 2025: Prior years in which the Rio Grande ran dry in the Albuquerque reach
Conservation Orders and Agricultural Impact
Water authority officials are urging customers to follow strict outdoor watering schedules. Bernalillo County Commissioner and Water Authority board chair Barbara Baca called the situation a clear warning. “A dry Rio Grande should put everyone on notice that conservation is more important now than ever,” she said.
The authority’s Water by the Numbers program restricts lawn watering to two days per week in April and May, increasing to three days per week from June through August. Sprinkler use is prohibited between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. from April through October.
Farmers across the Middle Rio Grande Valley face equally difficult conditions. The Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District warned irrigators to brace for reduced water deliveries and longer gaps between irrigation windows as river levels fall and canal capacity tightens. “Irrigators should be prepared for reduced deliveries and longer intervals between water availability, especially later in the season,” said MRGCD Chief Engineer and CEO Jason Casuga.
Wildlife at Risk
Five threatened or endangered species inhabit the Rio Grande corridor, and a drying river threatens their survival. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced plans to actively rescue Rio Grande silvery minnow from isolated pools if the river runs intermittently, relocating them to stretches where flow continues.
Zoom Out
The Rio Grande’s recurring dry spells reflect a broader crisis confronting the American West, where prolonged drought, reduced snowpack, and rising temperatures are straining water systems built for 20th-century conditions. Similar groundwater dependency and reservoir shortfalls have been reported in Arizona, Colorado, and California, where municipalities and agricultural districts are increasingly competing for a shrinking surface water supply. New Mexico, one of the most arid states in the nation, sits at the leading edge of that strain.
Water scarcity is just one of several pressure points on the state’s public institutions. New Mexico’s child welfare agency and governor have also faced scrutiny over reform efforts, while lawmakers have debated proposals to eliminate income taxes for residents 65 and older — fiscal decisions that carry implications for the revenues available to fund infrastructure and emergency response.
What’s Next
The National Weather Service projects roughly equal odds of normal precipitation in May, with above-average chances of monsoon rainfall this summer. Water managers, however, caution that even a robust monsoon season is unlikely to fully offset the deficits already accumulated. Bureau of Reclamation Acting Area Manager John Irizarry said his team will “work closely with stakeholders to make the available water supply stretch as far as possible.” Coordination among Reclamation, the conservancy district, the water authority, and federal wildlife agencies is ongoing as the region moves toward peak summer demand.