Carlsbad Irrigation District facts for kids
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Carlsbad Irrigation District
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Avalon Dam on the Pecos River
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 Location in New Mexico
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Carlsbad, New Mexico |
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| Area | 5,464 acres (22.11 km2) |
| Built | 1887 |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000476 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHLD | July 19, 1964 |
The Carlsbad Irrigation District is a big water project near Carlsbad, New Mexico. It helps bring water to farms and homes in southeastern New Mexico. This important system uses water from the Pecos River and Black River.
The project started in the 1880s. Today, the United States Bureau of Reclamation manages it. Because of its history, parts of the project were named a National Historic Landmark in 1964.
Contents
How the Carlsbad Irrigation System Works
The city of Carlsbad is in the northern part of the Chihuahuan Desert. This means it's a very dry place. To grow crops, early settlers needed a way to get water to their fields.
Building the First Dams
In the late 1880s, people used small canals to water their land. Two local businessmen, Charles B. Eddy and Pat Garrett, had a bigger idea. They wanted to build a large, organized system to water the whole Pecos River valley.
Work began in 1889 on the Avalon Dam. This dam helps control and move water for the system. In 1893, a big flood destroyed the Avalon Dam, so it had to be rebuilt. The McMillan Dam was also built further upriver to store more water.
Overcoming Challenges and Modernizing
The Avalon Dam was destroyed again by flooding in 1903. This caused the system to run out of money. The United States Bureau of Reclamation then took over the project. They finished rebuilding the Avalon Dam in 1907. Since then, they have managed the entire irrigation system.
Later, the Brantley Dam was added. It is now the main place where water is stored for the district. A dam on the Black River near Malaga also helps by providing extra water storage.
Managing Water Flow
Besides the main dams, the Carlsbad Irrigation District also manages large canals. These canals carry water to all the users. They also control special gatehouses that open and close to manage how much water flows. The main offices for the district are in the First Bank of Eddy building in downtown Carlsbad.
