ALBUQUERQUE

FLOOD CONTROL ALBUQUERQUE

AMAFCAThe Albuquerque Metropolitan ArroyoFlood Control Authority(AMAFCA) was createdin 1963 by the New Mexico Legislature with specific responsibilityfor flooding problems ingreater Albuquerque.

AMAFCAAMAFCAs purpose is to prevent injury or loss of life, and to eliminate or minimize property damage. AMAFCA does this by building and maintaining flood control structures which help alleviate the problem.

Traditional flood control measures focus on protection of existing developments through construction of dams (to hold water back) and channels (to divert or confine flows).

AMAFCAThe first mission of AMAFCA was to be the local sponsor for construction of two very large federally-funded projects, the North and South Diversion Channels (NDC and SDC), which were built by the Army Corps of Engineers. The NDC drains Northeast Albuquerque and can carry 44,000 cubic feet per second at its outlet. The smaller SDC protects the Southeast Valley by intercepting flows from Southeast Albuquerque and the Tijeras Arroyo. AMAFCA today is still responsible for those two main flood control structures.

Arroyos in AlbuquerqueAlbuquerques drainage consists of natural drainage systems and concrete-lined arroyos. These arroyos carry runoff from the Sandia Mountains and West Mesa to the Rio Grande and are dry most of the year. They flow most heavily in the summer when the warm, moist, tropical air masses from southern California and the Gulf of Mexico collide over the Sandias.

5Flood Photos in Albuquerque

Current Projects at UNMThe Hydraulics Lab at UNM testsdifferent pipe diamater with 30, 45,and 90 angles to the downstreamflow.At low flow rates 30 angle resultedin more diverted flow.As flows were increased, wave actionincreased , and the angle of diversionno longer made much difference in the amount of diverted flow.

Current Projects at UNM

Q=2500 cm3/sQ=6700 cm3/sQ=14,600 cm3/sBased on observation and flow measurement, the tapered vane results in increaseddiversion with no undesirable hydraulics. The rate of taper and height of the vaneshould be further investigated. 8Computed Flow Pattern of 45angled lateral diversion with tapered vane.

SOURCEShttp://www.amafca.org/photos.htmhttp://www.cabq.gov/aes/s5arr.htmlhttp://www.unm.edu/~hydlab/LateralOutflow.pdf