Abiquiu Reservoir and Dam, New Mexico

The Abiquiu Reservoir was built by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1963, primarily for flood control, originally. In the 1970s, with the new water coming into the system from the other side of the Continental Divide through the San Juan-Chama Project, downstream cities, including Albuquerque, successfully petitioned to have more water stored in the reservoir. In the 1980s, the dam was raised another 13 feet. The water leaves the reservoir through a tunnel at the base of the dam, and continues downstream as the Chama River, once again. It joins the Rio Grande at Española, 25 miles away. The Rio Grande is used as the primary water source for most of the population and agriculture in the state.