Rio Chama (New Mexico)
Encyclopedia
The Rio Chama, a major tributary river of the Rio Grande
, is located in the U.S. state
s of Colorado
and New Mexico
. The river is about 130 miles (209.2 km) long altogether. From its source to El Vado Dam
its length is about 50 miles (80.5 km), from El Vado Dam to Abiquiu Dam is about 51 miles (82.1 km), and from Abiquiu Dam to the mouth of the Rio Grande is about 34 miles (54.7 km).
The name "Chama" is a shortened version of the Tewa
term [tsąmą' ǫŋwįkeyi], meaning "wrestling pueblo-ruin"..
and Rio Grande National Forest
. The main stem
Rio Chama begins at the confluence of two short headwater tributaries called West Fork and East Fork. The West Fork flows eastward from the Continental Divide. Across the divide lies the Navajo River
, one of the headwater tributaries of the Colorado River
. The East Fork extends a few miles into Conejos County, Colorado
to a source near one of the headwater tributaries of the Conejos River
. The confluence of the forks lies just within Archuleta County, Colorado
. From there the Rio Chama flows generally south. After a few miles the river enters Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, and flows by the town of Chama
. The tributary Willow Creek joins the Rio Chama after being impounded as Heron Lake
by Heron Dam. Willow Creek flows from the dam about 1000 feet (304.8 m) to the Rio Chama. A couple miles below that the Rio Chama flows into El Vado Lake
, a reservoir created by El Vado Dam
.
From El Vado Dam the Rio Chama continues flowing south, entering Chama Canyon and Santa Fe National Forest
and the Chama River Canyon Wilderness
. It is joined by Rio Cebolla from the east, then Rio Gallina from the west. Then the river enters Abiquiu Lake
, the reservoir created by Abiquiu Dam. The tributary Rio Puerco joins the Rio Chama in Abiquiu Lake.
Below Abiquiu Dam the Rio Chama flows generally east, skirting the edge of Carson National Forest
. It flows by the town of Abiquiú
, located at the mouth of Abiquiu Creek, after which it turns to flow generally southeast. Near the villages of Chili and La Chuachia the Rio Chama is joined by two of its primary tributaries. The Rio del Oso joins from the west then, within less than a mile, the Rio Ojo Caliente
joins from the northeast. From there the Rio Chama flows several miles southeast to join the Rio Grande near San Juan Pueblo, or Ohkay Owingeh
, about 5 miles (8 km) north of the city of Espanola
and approximately 30 miles (48.3 km) north of Santa Fe
.
by the U.S. Congress.
The popular section for most paddlers is the 31.1 miles (50.1 km) from El Vado Ranch down through Chama Canyon and Chavez Canyon to the Big Eddy access above Abiquiu Reservoir near US 84.
.
North of Chama on NM 17 there is good trout fly fishing. There are special regulations on this stretch of the Rio Chama. ifteen miles south of Chama on US 64/84 is the confluence of the Rio Brazos with the Rio Chama. Most of this run of the Rio Chama is on private land, except for a 4 miles (6.4 km)-long stretch south of Chama.
Below its confluence with the Rio Brazos, the Rio Chama offers several miles of excellent fly fishing to the tailwaters of Heron Lake
and El Vado Reservoir. The Rio Chama, is very wide at this point, with large runs, pools, and large boulders that create excellent fishing opportunities for rainbow and wild brown trout.
The Chama Valley is home to dense stands of ponderosa pine
, douglas-fir
, pinyon
, juniper
, mountain-mahogany
, gambel oak
and serviceberry
. The riparian area also includes cottonwoods, box elder
, willows, hackberry and numerous shrubs that are indigenous to north-central New Mexico. It is teeming with a variety of wildlife including cougars, black bears, elk, mule deer, badgers, bobcats, coyotes, beavers, raccoons, ducks, dippers, spotted sandpipers, Canadian geese, turkey, golden eagles, bald eagles, falcons, hawks, owls, turkey vultures, brown and rainbow trout, flathead chub, flathead minnows, white suckers, carp, channel catfish, black crappie, longnose dace, and other species of mammals, birds and fish. Various species of rattlesnakes are found in the adjacent mountain valleys and canyons, so visitors are advised to be very careful where they put their hands and feet.
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...
, is located in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
s of Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
and New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
. The river is about 130 miles (209.2 km) long altogether. From its source to El Vado Dam
El Vado Dam
El Vado Dam lies on the Rio Chama in the U.S. state of New Mexico, about north-northwest of New Mexico's largest city, Albuquerque and about northwest of the capital city of Santa Fe. The earth-filled structure forms El Vado Lake, a storage reservoir for the Middle Rio Grande Project. Owned by...
its length is about 50 miles (80.5 km), from El Vado Dam to Abiquiu Dam is about 51 miles (82.1 km), and from Abiquiu Dam to the mouth of the Rio Grande is about 34 miles (54.7 km).
The name "Chama" is a shortened version of the Tewa
Tewa language
Tewa is a Kiowa–Tanoan language spoken by Pueblo people, mostly in the Rio Grande valley in New Mexico north of Santa Fe. The 1980 census counted 1,298 speakers, almost all of whom are bilingual in English...
term [tsąmą' ǫŋwįkeyi], meaning "wrestling pueblo-ruin"..
Course
The Rio Chama originates in south-central Colorado, just above the New Mexico border in the San Juan MountainsSan Juan Mountains
The San Juan Mountains are a high and rugged mountain range in the Rocky Mountains in southwestern Colorado. The area is highly mineralized and figured in the gold and silver mining industry of early Colorado. Major towns, all old mining camps, include Creede, Lake City, Silverton, Ouray, and...
and Rio Grande National Forest
Rio Grande National Forest
Rio Grande National Forest is a 1.86 million acre U.S. National Forest located in southwestern Colorado. The forest encompasses the San Luis Valley, which is the world's largest agricultural alpine valley, as well as one of the worlds largest high deserts located around mountains. The...
. The main stem
Main Stem
"Main Stem" is 1942 instrumental by Duke Ellington and His Famous Orchestra. Although recorded in 1942, the single would not be released until 1944 where it was Duke Ellington's last of four number one's on the Harlem Hit Parade. "Main Stem" would also peak at number twenty on the pop chart"Main...
Rio Chama begins at the confluence of two short headwater tributaries called West Fork and East Fork. The West Fork flows eastward from the Continental Divide. Across the divide lies the Navajo River
Navajo River
Navajo River is a tributary of the San Juan River. It flows from a source in the South San Juan Wilderness of Conejos County, Colorado southwest past Chromo, Colorado...
, one of the headwater tributaries of the Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
. The East Fork extends a few miles into Conejos County, Colorado
Conejos County, Colorado
Conejos County is one of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado in the United States. The county population was 8,400 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat is the unincorporated town of Conejos.-History:...
to a source near one of the headwater tributaries of the Conejos River
Conejos River
The Conejos River is a tributary of the Rio Grande, approximately long, in south-central Colorado in the United States. It drains a scenic area of the eastern San Juan Mountains west of the San Luis Valley.-Description:...
. The confluence of the forks lies just within Archuleta County, Colorado
Archuleta County, Colorado
Archuleta County is one of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado of the United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the county population was 12,386 in 2006, a 25.14% increase since U.S. Census 2000...
. From there the Rio Chama flows generally south. After a few miles the river enters Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, and flows by the town of Chama
Chama, New Mexico
Chama is a village in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 1,199 at the 2000 census. It is a small village, but tourism is starting to help the town's economy .-Geography:...
. The tributary Willow Creek joins the Rio Chama after being impounded as Heron Lake
Heron Lake (New Mexico)
Heron Lake is a reservoir in Rio Arriba County, in northern New Mexico in the southwestern United States. The lake is part of the San Juan-Chama Diversion Project, which transfers water from the upper reaches of the San Juan River through the Azotea Tunnel , into Willow Creek and the Rio Chama...
by Heron Dam. Willow Creek flows from the dam about 1000 feet (304.8 m) to the Rio Chama. A couple miles below that the Rio Chama flows into El Vado Lake
El Vado Lake
El Vado Lake is a reservoir located in Rio Arriba County, in northern New Mexico in the southwestern United States. Water is impounded by the earth-filled El Vado Dam, on the Rio Chama, long and high, completed in 1935...
, a reservoir created by El Vado Dam
El Vado Dam
El Vado Dam lies on the Rio Chama in the U.S. state of New Mexico, about north-northwest of New Mexico's largest city, Albuquerque and about northwest of the capital city of Santa Fe. The earth-filled structure forms El Vado Lake, a storage reservoir for the Middle Rio Grande Project. Owned by...
.
From El Vado Dam the Rio Chama continues flowing south, entering Chama Canyon and Santa Fe National Forest
Santa Fe National Forest
The Santa Fe National Forest is a protected national forest in northern New Mexico in the Southwestern United States. It was established in 1915 and covers 1,567,181 acres . Elevations range from 5,300 feet to 13,103 feet at the summit of Truchas Peak, located within the Pecos Wilderness...
and the Chama River Canyon Wilderness
Chama River Canyon Wilderness
Congress created the Chama River Canyon Wilderness in New Mexico in February 1978. The wilderness area covers approximately on the Coyote Ranger District of the Santa Fe National Forest and the Carson National Forest....
. It is joined by Rio Cebolla from the east, then Rio Gallina from the west. Then the river enters Abiquiu Lake
Abiquiu Lake
Abiquiu Lake is a reservoir located in Rio Arriba County, in northern New Mexico in the southwestern United States. Water of the Rio Chama is impounded by the earth-filled Abiquiu Dam, 1,800 feet long and 340 feet high, completed in 1963 and raised in 1986...
, the reservoir created by Abiquiu Dam. The tributary Rio Puerco joins the Rio Chama in Abiquiu Lake.
Below Abiquiu Dam the Rio Chama flows generally east, skirting the edge of Carson National Forest
Carson National Forest
Carson National Forest is a national forest in northern New Mexico, United States. It encompasses 6,070 square kilometers and is administered by the United States Forest Service...
. It flows by the town of Abiquiú
Abiquiú, New Mexico
Abiquiú, or Abiquiu is a small unincorporated town located in Rio Arriba County, in northern New Mexico in the southwestern United States, about 53 miles north of Santa Fe. In the 1730s, it was the third largest settlement in the New Mexico Territory...
, located at the mouth of Abiquiu Creek, after which it turns to flow generally southeast. Near the villages of Chili and La Chuachia the Rio Chama is joined by two of its primary tributaries. The Rio del Oso joins from the west then, within less than a mile, the Rio Ojo Caliente
Rio Ojo Caliente
The Rio Ojo Caliente is a tributary river of the Rio Chama and the Rio Grande. It is located in northern New Mexico, US....
joins from the northeast. From there the Rio Chama flows several miles southeast to join the Rio Grande near San Juan Pueblo, or Ohkay Owingeh
Ohkay Owingeh, New Mexico
Ohkay Owingeh is a pueblo and census designated place in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, United States. Its elevation is and it is located at . One of its boundaries is contiguous with Española, about north of Santa Fe....
, about 5 miles (8 km) north of the city of Espanola
Española, New Mexico
Española also known as Espanola , is a city primarily in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, in the United States. A portion of the central and eastern section of the city is in Santa Fe County. Española was founded in 1880 as a railroad village, incorporated as a city in 1925. The city is situated in...
and approximately 30 miles (48.3 km) north of Santa Fe
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...
.
History
The Rio Chama has been used by humans for nearly 10,000 years, dating from the time when camels and wooly mammoths roamed the southwestern United States. In 1988, the 24.6 miles (39.6 km) section known as Chama Canyon was designated as a National Wild and Scenic RiverNational Wild and Scenic River
National Wild and Scenic River is a designation for certain protected areas in the United States.The National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act was an outgrowth of the recommendations of a Presidential commission, the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission...
by the U.S. Congress.
Whitewater boating
The upper river is characterized by huge boulders that create difficult holes, sizeable drops and hidden/sunken driftwood that test experienced whitewater boaters. The first 6-7.5 miles (12.1 km) of this reach above El Vado Lake in New Mexico is a Class IV to VI whitewater run of great intensity that is only suitable for expert whitewater kayakers. The rest of this run can be made by canoeists and kayakers with at least strong intermediate level whitewater skills on Class I to III water that drops through deep canyons on its way to the lake. Below El Vado Lake the river is a Class II to III run for almost anybody with intermediate or higher level whitewater skills. After passing through Abiquiu Lake, the river passes through private land; ask permission before fishing or boating.The popular section for most paddlers is the 31.1 miles (50.1 km) from El Vado Ranch down through Chama Canyon and Chavez Canyon to the Big Eddy access above Abiquiu Reservoir near US 84.
Fishing
The Rio Chama and its tributaries offer excellent fly fishing for trout. Ten miles of the Rio Chama, above the mouth of Wolf Creek (4 miles (6.4 km) below the New Mexico border) is private land requiring land owner's permission to fish the Rio Chama and Wolf Creek. The Rio Chama at this point holds wild browns with cutthroats in Wolf Creek and rainbows in both streams. The Rio Chamita flows into the Rio Chama, 9 miles (14.5 km) below the Wolf Creek confluence with the Rio Chama. Access to the Rio Chamita is from a dirt road one and a half miles north of the town of ChamaChama, New Mexico
Chama is a village in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 1,199 at the 2000 census. It is a small village, but tourism is starting to help the town's economy .-Geography:...
.
North of Chama on NM 17 there is good trout fly fishing. There are special regulations on this stretch of the Rio Chama. ifteen miles south of Chama on US 64/84 is the confluence of the Rio Brazos with the Rio Chama. Most of this run of the Rio Chama is on private land, except for a 4 miles (6.4 km)-long stretch south of Chama.
Below its confluence with the Rio Brazos, the Rio Chama offers several miles of excellent fly fishing to the tailwaters of Heron Lake
Heron Lake (New Mexico)
Heron Lake is a reservoir in Rio Arriba County, in northern New Mexico in the southwestern United States. The lake is part of the San Juan-Chama Diversion Project, which transfers water from the upper reaches of the San Juan River through the Azotea Tunnel , into Willow Creek and the Rio Chama...
and El Vado Reservoir. The Rio Chama, is very wide at this point, with large runs, pools, and large boulders that create excellent fishing opportunities for rainbow and wild brown trout.
Chama Canyon
The walls in Chama Canyon rise some 1500 feet (457.2 m) above the river. The canyon rim and sloping uplands are frequently punctuated by steep sandstone and shale outcroppings. Inside the canyon is a plethora of geological wonders including high, steep canyon walls and escarpments consisting of rock slides, ledges, pinnacles and ridges. The bedrock of Chama Canyon is shale, basalt, tuft, sandstone, granite, quartzite and other types of rocks, some of which formed about 110 million years ago.The Chama Valley is home to dense stands of ponderosa pine
Ponderosa Pine
Pinus ponderosa, commonly known as the Ponderosa Pine, Bull Pine, Blackjack Pine, or Western Yellow Pine, is a widespread and variable pine native to western North America. It was first described by David Douglas in 1826, from eastern Washington near present-day Spokane...
, douglas-fir
Douglas-fir
Douglas-fir is one of the English common names for evergreen coniferous trees of the genus Pseudotsuga in the family Pinaceae. Other common names include Douglas tree, and Oregon pine. There are five species, two in western North America, one in Mexico, and two in eastern Asia...
, pinyon
Pinyon pine
The pinyon pine group grows in the southwestern United States and in Mexico. The trees yield edible pinyon nuts, which were a staple of the Native Americans, and are still widely eaten...
, juniper
Juniper
Junipers are coniferous plants in the genus Juniperus of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Depending on taxonomic viewpoint, there are between 50-67 species of juniper, widely distributed throughout the northern hemisphere, from the Arctic, south to tropical Africa in the Old World, and to the...
, mountain-mahogany
Mountain-mahogany
Cercocarpus, commonly known as mountain mahogany, is a small genus of five or six species of deciduous shrubs or small trees in the rose family , native to the western United States and northern Mexico, where they grow in chaparral and semi-desert habitats and climates, often at high altitudes...
, gambel oak
Gambel oak
Quercus gambelii, or Gambel oak, is a deciduous small tree or large shrub widespread in the foothills and lower mountain elevations of the central southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico: its range is centered on the Colorado Plateau–Four Corners states of Utah-Colorado,...
and serviceberry
Serviceberry
Amelanchier , also known as shadbush, shadwood or shadblow, serviceberry or sarvisberry, wild pear, juneberry, saskatoon, sugarplum or wild-plum, and chuckley pear is a genus of about 20 species of deciduous-leaved shrubs and small trees in the Rose family .Amelanchier is native to temperate regions...
. The riparian area also includes cottonwoods, box elder
Acer negundo
Acer negundo is a species of maple native to North America. Box Elder, Boxelder Maple, and Maple Ash are its most common names in the United States...
, willows, hackberry and numerous shrubs that are indigenous to north-central New Mexico. It is teeming with a variety of wildlife including cougars, black bears, elk, mule deer, badgers, bobcats, coyotes, beavers, raccoons, ducks, dippers, spotted sandpipers, Canadian geese, turkey, golden eagles, bald eagles, falcons, hawks, owls, turkey vultures, brown and rainbow trout, flathead chub, flathead minnows, white suckers, carp, channel catfish, black crappie, longnose dace, and other species of mammals, birds and fish. Various species of rattlesnakes are found in the adjacent mountain valleys and canyons, so visitors are advised to be very careful where they put their hands and feet.
See also
- List of rivers in Colorado
- List of New Mexico rivers
- List of National Wild and Scenic Rivers
- List of tributaries of the Rio Grande