RIO RANCHO, N.M. – USACE-Albuquerque District Commander Lt. Col. Matthew Miller and other district staff joined Southern Sandoval County Arroyo Flood Control Authority board members and staff to break ground on the Upper Venada Arroyo Improvements Project here, Aug. 1, 2025.
The project’s purpose is to design (including environmental compliance) and provide construction assistance to improve water quality flows in the upper reach of the Venada Arroyo.
“The Upper Venada project is the third installment in the Venada arroyo,” said Andrew Petersen, project manager, Civil Project Management Branch, USACE-Albuquerque District. “This should be the final installation for the arroyo. The series of projects provide water quality and stormwater management measures for the community and support clean waters flowing into the Rio Grande.”
The project will include a facility to remove debris and contaminants from storm flows and include flood prevention measures to reduce downstream flowrates before being discharged into the Rio Grande.
The approximately $6.5 million project is expected to begin construction in early August 2025 and to be completed June 2026.