Alpine Hydrology of Phoenix Spring and Lake Fork of the Rio Hondo, Taos Ski Valley, NM

The Phoenix Spring complex currently provides the entire municipal water supply for the Village of Taos Ski Valley, NM, and is one of the primary sources of stream flow in the upper reaches of the Lake Fork of the Rio Hondo. Water is also diverted during winter low-flow conditions for snow making by Taos Ski Valley, Inc. A field investigation was initiated in 2016 to develop a conceptual model of the alpine hydrology of the groundwater and surface water systems. This investigation included collection of precipitation samples and discrete intervals of the snowpack for tritium and stable isotope analyses, installation of piezometers and water level monitoring upgradient of the Phoenix Spring complex, sampling of springs, piezometers and Williams Lake for general chemistry, tritium, and stable isotopes, and gaging of stream flows.

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