ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – On Wednesday, the Army Corps of Engineers and the Water Authority signed a historic deal to safeguard the future of the city’s water.

The deal will allow the Water Authority to store native Rio Grande water in the Abiquiu Reservoir.

This project will make it easier for the Water Authority to use surface water year-round, instead of relying solely on groundwater during the summer months.

The Army Corps of Engineers says this is part of a larger effort to change the way they do things to address climate change.

“We stayed in our flood control flood risk management role for far too long,” said Mike Connor with Army Civil Works. “We are doing things differently all in a way I think helps, I like to say we are not in the water supply business, we are in the water availability business.” 

The agreement will allow the middle Rio Grande Conservancy District to lease water at Abiquiu Lake, helping farmers downstream.