Albuquerque's dam failure highlights water supply challenges

Albuquerque faces a water crisis as its key dam fails, impacting local farmers and city residents.

Jake Bittle reports for Grist.

In short:

• The El Vado dam, vital for Albuquerque’s water supply, has been out of commission for three years due to structural issues.
• Without the dam, farmers and the city rely on finite groundwater, threatening sustainable water management.
• Repair efforts are stalled, and alternative water storage solutions are slow to develop.

Key quote:

“We need some sort of storage. If we don’t get a big monsoon this summer, if you don’t have a well, you won’t be able to water.”

— Mark Garcia, local farmer

Why this matters:

Aging infrastructure and climate change challenge water sustainability in the West. The dam's collapse could signal deeper issues within the region's water management infrastructure, potentially linked to climate change. With increasing temperatures and unpredictable weather patterns, the strain on existing water systems is becoming more evident.