Heinrich Demands Answers from Army Corps & Reclamation on Water Allocation for the Rio Grande, El Vado Dam Restoration, Army Corps Projects in New Mexico

WASHINGTON - At a U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing to discuss President Trump's Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) budget request for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) pressed Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Lieutenant General William H. "Butch" Graham, Jr.; Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Army Civil Works program, Adam Telle; and Assistant Secretary for Water and Science for the U.S. Department of the Interior, Andrea Travnicek on water allocation decisions regarding the Rio Grande, the Bureau of Reclamation's timeline to restore El Vado Dam, and the status of Army Corps projects in New Mexico.

VIDEO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, presses Trump administration officials at a subcommittee hearing to discuss President Trump's FY27 budget request for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation, May 20, 2026.

On the Bureau of Reclamation's Water Allocation Decisions Regarding the Rio Grande:

Senator Heinrich: "It's getting harder and harder to manage the Rio Grande, in the current situation, given that there's not enough water to go around. Assistant Secretary Travnicek, how is Reclamation making decisions about allocations right now in the Rio Grande?"

Assistant Secretary Travnicek: "With the allocations that we work through, of course, it's related to whether there's a treaty that's in place, whether it's an agreement that's already in place, and then also trying to see if there's areas where we can think outside the box - if we've got that ability to do so. So, I think we're trying all the different tools in the toolbox. Also open to any new thoughts and ideas."

On the Bureau of Reclamation's Timeline to Restore El Vado Dam:

Heinrich: "You know, one of the reasons why we're in such a tough spot right now in the Rio Grande is because one of our most significant storage facilities, El Vado Dam, is basically offline right now. It needs to be refurbished. It has been a problem for a while. When will Reclamation complete its assessment of which alternative to pursue to restore El Vado Dam?"

Travnicek: "I know how important that dam is to the state and to the water users - recognizing the importance of the storage. So, I was able to get a little bit of information of this too...So, where we're at in the process right now? We're doing a field exploration study looking at where those impacts might be - related to concerns on seepage. So, we are going to have to be doing some drilling. Looking at the foundation. The goal is that the field work will be going on this summer. I think what's slated right now is that May to September timeframe. But hopefully we can figure out what that preferred alternative is, and then get that back up and running."

On the Army Corps Participating in Identifying Durable Integrated Water Resource Solutions for the Rio Grande Basin:

Heinrich: "Congress has directed the Army Corps and Reclamation to work with the National Academies of Sciences to identify durable integrated water resource solutions for the Rio Grande Basin. I understand the Bureau of Reclamation and the National Academies of Sciences are ready to start on that. They just need the Army Corps to fully participate. Is the Army Corps going to participate in that?"

Assistant Secretary Telle: "Senator, I'm showing, in FY26, no specific funding for this. But I will get back to you. I think General Graham has studied this one extensively."

Lieutenant General Graham: "Senator, we certainly understand your intent here. And we do work collaboratively with the Bureau of Reclamation throughout the Rio Grande Valley. We don't believe that we have the authority, nor funding, to do the collaboration - to send the funds to National Academy of Sciences. But our commitment to you is to come back to your staff to see if we can find a way forward on this. But we clearly understand your intent, and we'll see if we can put together a path that gets us there."

Heinrich: "I grabbed a copy of a letter that I sent to you, General. And the reason I did that is because - with regard to the study that we were talking about - it's my understanding, and this is articulated in the letter, that there are four different public law authorizations for your ability to participate in that study. And I'll share that with you again, but I think we have plenty of authorization. I think what we're asking for here is basically just technical assistance."

Graham: "Senator, I did read your letter. I think we still have some disagreements amongst the staff. Happy to get everybody in same room and let's see if we can work this out."

Heinrich: "I think we need to do that."

On the Army Corps' Participation in the Rio Grande Endangered Species Collaborative Program:

Heinrich: "I'm told that the Corps no longer has the capability to participate in the Rio Grande Endangered Species Collaborative program that's been going for 25 years. Because as we've had less and less water, we've had [endangered species] listings on the Rio Grande. That was a project that was started by Senator Pete Domenici to manage some of those conflicts and has worked really well. Can you provide me with an explanation for why the decision was made to pull out of that?"

Graham: "Our participation is no longer required under the 2017, I believe it was, biological opinion. But I know there's funds sitting on this, and my understanding here today is, that our researchers and the district are still putting labor towards that end. I'll come back to your staff. I think we're still working on it."

Heinrich: "I think what we want to make sure is that we don't get ourselves back into the problem we had before."

On WaterSMART Grant Funding:

Heinrich: "One of the tools you have to let some of the stress out of the system in the current situation of shortage across basins in the west is WaterSMART grant funding. And you know Congress appropriated over $2 billion for WaterSMART in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. I believe about $1.3 billion of that has actually been spent so far. Are you looking at that as a way to try to create new wet water in some of these systems, or at least, let some of the stress out? Because we've had a particular grant that I believe is still tied up, even though it had been approved. It's Chama Peak Land Alliance. It was for forest thinning and trying to get the watershed to produce more into the system."

Travnicek: "I'll take that back to look at it a little bit closer. But it's exactly right. We were looking to still maximize using those dollars that we have. From previously putting those to good use, we continue to not only look at the WaterSMART ones that still exist, but the other programs as well."

On the Status of Army Corps of Engineers Projects in New Mexico:

Heinrich: "Mr. Telle. You mentioned in your opening testimony the importance of transparency in the budget. Can you provide me with a list of the current Army Corps projects in the state of New Mexico and what their status are?"

Telle: "Senator Heinrich, absolutely."

Heinrich: "So, what's a reasonable time frame for that? Just for the state of New Mexico."

Telle: "Senator, we can get you the answer to that question by the end of the week for New Mexico."

###

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Tweet