But when it rains…

Albuquerque, NM | #00006

Stormwater detention & retention ponds hold back rainfall so that the downstream system is not overloaded during large rain events. These ponds were mainly designed in out-of-the-way areas in development. Meaning areas that were rarely frequented by the public and often viewed as an…

Albuquerque, NM | #00005

Albuquerque’s east mesa is the drainage course for a large portion of the Sandia Mountains. Water continues to drain to the Rio Grande valley to this day. It’s path has been modified. Channelized. Insurance against mother nature coming in and reclaiming her role in our existence.

Albuquerque, NM | #00003

Albuquerque’s population grew from 35,449 in 1940 to 201,189 in 1960. This is before the governing body to control arroyo and storm water (AMAFCA) was formed. We have retrofitted flood control since, we can moving forward.

When A Dam Falls In The Forest…

Justin asked me to share this video…I didn’t take the aerial footage (that was CAVU Media)…I just took many trips through the Gila Wilderness to and from Silver City when I was a poet-in-residence there for one summer (Silver City Poetry Slam Champion 2008), and I wrote the…

Albuquerque, New Mexico | #00002

Erosion.
Two people stand on opposite sides of an arroyo as it flows with fresh rain. They both see the arroyo get wider as the water pulls its banks downstream. One person sees their land disappear. Sees their land being taken away from them. They hang their head and…

Griego Lateral

Albuquerque, New Mexico | #00001

Here in the desert southwest water has played a crucial role in development. How Albuquerque has decided to manage rainfall, which is often quick & heavy, is with diversion channels. Almost all of them are concrete-lined arroyos that take water away from properties as…