ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – While some of us are more than ready to usher in the fall, water conservationists are worried about the Rio Grande. 

In the past couple of weeks, the river flow has gotten significantly slower. KOB 4 shows you what experts are doing to keep the river flowing.

“Really the only water that is available right now is what the basin is naturally producing, and typically at this time of year it’s not a lot of water,” said Anne Marken, a Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District water operations manager. 

The Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District says they can only do so much when water supply is low. 

Marken says the district stopped releasing storage water on Sept. 6 because of the low San Juan-Chama water storage.

Rain this week did help river flow, but they are worried that it won’t hold up after monsoon season ends. 

Despite the grim outlook, they are working with nearby water districts to keep the Rio Grande flowing. 

“We are preparing to try and limp along the rest of the season with just what the basin is naturally producing. We are working very closely with our other water management agencies to try and keep this section of the river connected,” Marken said.  

“The Rio Grande water levels are highly dependent on the snowpack during the winter months but also from the dam releases. It is very highly dependent on what people up at Cochiti Lake do with their dam releases,” said Michael Amand, a National Weather Service Albuquerque meteorologist. 

With these low water levels, it may be tempting to just walk across the sandbanks, but Marken says people should be aware that this is a habitat for endangered species, and it’s best to stay out of the river.