RIO RANCHO, N.M. — The USACE-Albuquerque District entered into an agreement with the Southern Sandoval County Arroyo Flood Control Authority (SSCAFCA) to provide federal support for the construction of the Tortugas Arroyo Improvements Project, Dec. 16, 2024.
Lt. Col. Matthew Miller, commander, USACE-Albuquerque District, and Cassandra D’Antonio, chairperson, SSCAFCA board of directors, signed the Project Partnership Agreement (PPA) at the SSCAFCA office in Rio Rancho.
Urban stormwater runoff is the largest contributor to pollutants in the nation’s waters. This project is designed to protect the Rio Grande from pollutants running off a Rio Rancho industrial park. It will remove floatable debris and sediment from the upstream industrial park. Sediment reduction will not only prevent urban runoff pollutants in sediment from reaching the river but will also allow for better downstream hydraulics by limiting sediment accumulation.
Under Section 595 of Water Resources Development Act, the Tortugas Arroyo Improvements Project will be cost shared at 75/25 with a total project cost of $3.77 million.
The project is expected to begin construction March 2025 and to be completed July 2025.
While the project will treat runoff from Rio Rancho, it will be located in the Village of Corrales, New Mexico.