Rio Chama, New Mexico, US |
|
| Usual Difficulty | I-III (for normal flows) |
|---|---|
| Length | 15 Miles |
| Name | Range | Difficulty | Updated | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RIO CHAMA NEAR LA PUENTE, NM | ||||
| usgs-08284100 | 400 - 4000 cfs | I-III | 66d16h17m | 255 cfs (rc= -0.0 ) |
This is a great run. The river goes through a nice canyon and there are no roads or river access
for much of it. There are many huge boulders in the river channel and some great play along the
way. There is a tricky putin in the town of La Puente but I recommend putting in at the NM 95
bridge as there is better parking and less chance of trouble in a very tiny town.....
The takeout is at a boat launch on the north end of El Vado Reservoir and comes after a
long flatwater paddle out. I would recommend taking out at a fishing access point (under
the footbridge) and following a steep but relatively short path up the canyon wall. This take out
is just upstream of the Heron Reservoir Dam. You really don't miss much from the alternate
takeout to the "official" one, except some boring flatwater.
The shuttle route is rather strange. You start on one side of the river and make a U-turn over it
and come down on the other side to reach the takeout. For information, see New Mexico
Whitewater, by NM State Parks, & Rivers of the SW, by Fletcher Anderson. For more
beta, check out Boating
Waters, by NM State Parks.
We have no additional information about how various flows affect runnability (or playability) of this section of river. If you can provide additional information, please either directly contact the StreamTeam member for this reach, or add a 'comment' or a 'report' with your information to help out your fellow boaters.
| Name | Range | Difficulty | Updated | Level | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RIO CHAMA NEAR LA PUENTE, NM | ||||||||||||
| usgs-08284100 | 400 - 4000 cfs | I-III | 66d16h17m | 255 cfs (rc= -0.0 ) | ||||||||
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| When | River/Gauge | Subject | Level | Reporter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1y263d05h53m | @Rio Chama 3. Los Ojos to El Vado Lake [NM] |
Grotto
|
n/a | Timothy W. Scofield |
| 1y263d05h57m | @Rio Chama 3. Los Ojos to El Vado Lake [NM] |
Grotto
|
n/a | Timothy W. Scofield |
| 1y264d14h01m | @Rio Chama 3. Los Ojos to El Vado Lake [NM] |
From Big Mama Chama scout 2
|
high runnable | Timothy W. Scofield |
| 1y264d14h01m | @Rio Chama 3. Los Ojos to El Vado Lake [NM] |
Looking upstream from Big Mama Chama scout
|
high runnable | Timothy W. Scofield |
| 1y264d14h01m | @Rio Chama 3. Los Ojos to El Vado Lake [NM] |
Log in Big Mama Chama
|
high runnable | Timothy W. Scofield |
| 1y264d14h01m | @Rio Chama 3. Los Ojos to El Vado Lake |
Big Mama Chama
|
high runnable | Timothy W. Scofield |
| 1y264d15h01m | @Rio Chama 3. Los Ojos to El Vado Lake [NM] |
Low head dam
|
high runnable | Timothy W. Scofield |
No rapids entered. If you know names, and locations of the rapids please contact and advise the StreamTeam member for this run. reach
state
reachlink
3. Los Ojos to El Vado Lake, Rio Chama New Mexico, US (mobile)
User Comments
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the fisherman's bridge takeout. Level was around 1600cfs. Took about 2.5 hours for us to run
straight through without stopping to scout or eat. Lots of nature to see and the scenery is quite
different than the Monastery to Big Eddy section of the Rio Chama. Found this section to be a bit
easier than Monastery to Big Eddy.<br>
<br>
First few miles, before the gravel pit, there several shallow spots that are easily avoidable. Only
other notable hazard is a very short low head dam, you will hear it before you see it. Possible to
skirt it on either side due it's it's very short and stubby nature. Big Mamma Chama was a long rock
garden, maybe solid III at 1600cfs. A few more thousand CFS would make it a stout rapid. Otherwise
the rest of the rapids were mellow class II / III wave trains. I would recommend that everyone do
this run at least once as it is all natural flow and only runs a few weeks out of the season. I
personally would not want to run it any lower than 1400cfs because I do not like to paddle flat
water. Although I am sure it is possible to run it lower than 1400cfs.<br>
<br>
Shuttle is straight forward if you take out at the fisherman's bridge, recommended unless you like
long flat water paddling.<br>
<br>
Visual Guage Height Beta:<br>
The waterline at the put in was almost at the point where the steel bridge support meets the
concrete on the east most pylon. The center Bridge support had a small pillow on it. Should be
around 1600cfs or so.