Rio Tesuque

About the Rio Tesuque

• The Rio Tesuque is a small stream flowing from the Sangre de Cristo Mountains north of Santa Fe down through the Pueblo of Tesuque and the Tesuque valley toward the Pojoaque River.1
• A six-mile stretch of the river crosses Pueblo of Tesuque land and is considered of great cultural significance to the tribe, which has occupied the site since about 1200 A.D.2

This report follows 22 miles (36 km) of the Rio Tesuque, all within the Upper Rio Grande watershed segment. At the lower end of the report the river drains about 78 square miles. Downstream of the mapped reach it flows into the Pojoaque River. 5 gauges with at least 26 weeks of daily flow cover 1936 to 2026.

From the archive: NHDPlus river network, WBD watersheds, NHD waterbodies, TIGER urban areas and the report's gauges.

From the headwaters down

Each watershed segment in order, with last week's flow rated against the same week in 1991–2020.

1. 1

   Segment 1: Upper Rio Grande

   3 cfs last week much above normal, 111 dry days this year.

   16 acequias along this reach, including Acequia Ancon De Jacona, Acequia Barranca, Acequia Barrance Blanco, Acequia Barranco Alto.

   Median conductance 123 µS/cm in the 2020s. Rain over the last 3 months: 174% of normal.

Culture

• The Pueblo of Tesuque, a Tewa-speaking community re-established at its present site along the Rio Tesuque in 1694 after the Pueblo Revolt, considers the river central to its cultural identity.2
• Hispanic settlement of the Tesuque valley grew from El Rancho Benavides, after land there was sold to Juan de Benavides in 1732, and the acequia system built with that settlement still irrigates the valley.1
• Acequia irrigation remains active in the valley today, with more than 150 registered water users belonging to five acequia associations.1

Acequias

• Acequia Ancon De Jacona
• Acequia Barranca
• Acequia Barrance Blanco
• Acequia Barranco Alto
• Acequia Chiquita
• Acequia De La Otra Banda
• Acequia De Los Joyas
• Acequia De Los Ojitos
• Acequia De Los Ortizes
• Acequia De Los Romeros
• Acequia Del Cajon Grande
• Acequia Del Medio
• Acequia Del Rio
• Acequia Larga De Jacona
• Acequia Madre
• Acequia Otra Vanda

From the State Engineer's acequia map, which covers mainly northern New Mexico, and cited records of acequia governance. Within 1.5 km of the river.

Habitat

• The Rio Tesuque and the Pueblo-owned land it crosses support riparian forest that provides nesting habitat for migratory birds as well as year-round resident species.2

Reservoirs

No reservoir with 500 acre-feet or more of storage on this river in the National Inventory of Dams.

Water users

• The Pueblo of Tesuque's water rights, along with those of the Pueblos of Nambé, Pojoaque and San Ildefonso, were settled in the Aamodt water rights settlement, finalized in 2013.3
• Five acequia associations with more than 150 registered users still irrigate the Tesuque valley.1

Surface water withdrawn, 2020

In the counties this river crosses (Santa Fe): 13,532 acre-feet. County totals include other streams.

State Engineer, New Mexico Water Use by Categories 2020.

Irrigation districts and acequias

• 16 acequias, community-run irrigation ditches (listed under Culture)

State Engineer's irrigation districts and acequia layers.

Public water systems beside the river

City of Santa Fe Water System, Hyde Park Estates Water Users Association, Tesuque MDWCA, Pojoaque Terraces Mobile Home Park, Cielo Lindo

State Engineer's public water systems layer (service areas within 2 km).