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County approves agreements to store San Juan‑Chama and other water in Abiquiu Reservoir
Summary
Santa Fe County approved two related agreements with the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority to store San Juan‑Chama project water and up to 3,000 acre‑feet of sub‑allotted water in Abiquiu Reservoir, giving the county carryover capacity for future use.
The county's utilities division told the Board of County Commissioners it had negotiated two agreements that give Santa Fe County access to storage space in Abiquiu Reservoir, allowing the county to carry San Juan‑Chama water forward between years and to store up to 3,000 acre‑feet of additional sub‑allotment water.
"This storage space in Abiquiu allows us to continue carrying over that storage water for future uses for Santa Fe County purposes," Utilities Division Director Travis Soderquist said. He described a one‑year automatically renewing storage agreement with a per‑acre‑foot cost of $1 (with a $375 annual maximum in one described component) and a related sub‑allotment agreement with an initial five‑year term.
Commissioners asked whether the agreements apply only to San Juan‑Chama water and whether tribal partners and other basin users can pursue similar arrangements. Soderquist said the agreements specifically cover Santa Fe County's San Juan‑Chama holdings but the sub‑allotment structure can accommodate additional sources and that the authority is reaching out to other partners who historically stored water in Abiquiu.
The board approved the agreements by voice vote after commissioners praised the long‑term planning benefits of adding multi‑year storage to the county water portfolio.
