A River Transformed
Because the river's flow varies greatly throughout the year, residents and city managers have
long recognized the need to store the water. Starting in 1880, people have altered the natural
flows of the river by building dams and restricting the river to a concrete-lined channel.
Community partnerships now work to restore the natural shape of the river.
The headwaters of the Santa fe
River begin in Santa Fe Lake, as
seen here from atop Tesuque
Peak. More than 10,000 acres
of the river's headwaters are
managed by the USDA Forest
Service for the protection of
downstream water users.
El Camino del Rey
Tracing the Source
For people and animals traveling long distances, access to fresh water meant life or death. Routes took travelers from one reliable water source to the next. El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro was no different. In New Mexico, the trail follows the Rio Grande from the Mexican border, through the County of Santa Fe, and ends at Ohkay Owingeh.
Headwater Connections
See the mountain peaks in the distance? That snowpack isn't just for skiing; it's the source for Santa Fe's drinking water.
Where people used to go down to the river and scoop up water with a bucket, our water is now delivered to us through a complex system of underground pipes. It's not as obvious, but our health and well-being is still tied to the forested slopes up ahead.
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