The Carlsbad Irrigation District, also known as Carlsbad Reclamation Project or Irrigation system of the Pecos Irrigation and Improvement Company, is a major early water reclamation project located near Carlsbad in southeastern New Mexico. Begun in the 1880s, it is now managed by the United States Bureau of Reclamation, and provides irrigation water to a large area around Carlsbad, diverted from the Pecos River and the Black River. The late 19th and early 20th-century elements of the project were designated a National Historic Landmark District in 1964.[2][3]
The city of Carlsbad is located in the northern reaches of the Chihuahuan Desert. In order to work this area agriculturally settlers arriving in the late 19th century turned to irrigation to provide water for their crops. By the late 1880s, this resulted in a patchwork of private canals irrigating small patches of land. Charles B. Eddy and Pat Garrett, two local ranchers and businessmen, hatched the idea of a larger and more organized corporate-run irrigation system to serve the entire lower Pecos River valley. The project got underway in 1889, when construction began on the Avalon Dam, which now serves as a diversion and regulation point for the system. In 1893 the Avalon Dam had to be rebuilt after its destruction in a flash flood, and the McMillan Dam was built further upriver as a major storage facility. The Avalon Dam was once again destroyed by flooding in 1903, sending the system into effective bankruptcy. It was then taken over by the United States Bureau of Reclamation, which completed reconstruction of the Avalon Dam in 1907, and has overseen the project since. The system has since then been augmented by the Brantley Dam, which now serves as its primary storage, and a dam on the Black River near Malaga that provides additional capacity in that area.[3]
In addition to the two major dams, the district manages the major canals that distribute water to users, and the various gatehouses that control water flow. Its offices are located in the First Bank of Eddy building in downtown Carlsbad.
^ ab. National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Archived from the original on 2007-03-02. Retrieved 2008-06-03.
^ abMark Hufstetler and Lon Johnson (August 1, 1991). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: Carlsbad Irrigation District / Carlsbad Project; Irrigation System of the Pecos Irrigation and Improvement Company" (pdf). National Park Service. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help) and Accompanying 49 photos, undated(32 KB)
External links
Carlsbad Irrigation District WebSite
Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. NM-4, "Carlsbad Irrigation District, Along Pecos River Valley, 13 miles North to 15 miles Southeast of Carlbad, Carlsbad, Eddy County, NM"
HAER No. NM-4-A, "Carlsbad Irrigation District, McMillan Dam, On Pecos River, 13 miles North of Carlsbad"
HAER No. NM-4-B, "Carlsbad Irrigation District, Avalon Dam, On Pecos River, 4 miles North of Carlsbad"
HAER No. NM-4-C, "Carlsbad Irrigation District, Main Canal, 4 miles North to 12 miles Southeast of Carlsbad"
HAER No. NM-4-D, "Carlsbad Irrigation District, East Side Canal, 1 mile North to 2 miles East of Carlsbad"
HAER No. NM-4-E, "Carlsbad Irrigation District, Pecos River Flume, On Main Canal, .5 mile North of Carlsbad"
HAER No. NM-4-F, "Carlsbad Irrigation District, Dark Canyon Siphon, On Main Canal, 1 mile South of Carlsbad"
HAER No. NM-4-G, "Carlsbad Irrigation District, Black River Canal, 15 miles Southeast of Carlsbad near Malaga"
HAER No. NM-4-H, "Carlsbad Irrigation District, First National Bank, 201 South Canal Street, Carlsbad"
HAER No. NM-4-I, "Carlsbad Irrigation District, Brantley Dam, On Pecos River 12 miles Northwest of Carlsbad"
May 17, 2023
carlsbad, irrigation, district, also, known, carlsbad, reclamation, project, irrigation, system, pecos, irrigation, improvement, company, major, early, water, reclamation, project, located, near, carlsbad, southeastern, mexico, begun, 1880s, managed, united, s. The Carlsbad Irrigation District also known as Carlsbad Reclamation Project or Irrigation system of the Pecos Irrigation and Improvement Company is a major early water reclamation project located near Carlsbad in southeastern New Mexico Begun in the 1880s it is now managed by the United States Bureau of Reclamation and provides irrigation water to a large area around Carlsbad diverted from the Pecos River and the Black River The late 19th and early 20th century elements of the project were designated a National Historic Landmark District in 1964 2 3 Carlsbad Irrigation DistrictU S National Register of Historic PlacesU S National Historic Landmark DistrictNM State Register of Cultural PropertiesAvalon Dam on the Pecos RiverShow map of New MexicoShow map of the United StatesNearest cityCarlsbad New MexicoCoordinates32 29 31 N 104 15 09 W 32 4919 N 104 2524 W 32 4919 104 2524 Coordinates 32 29 31 N 104 15 09 W 32 4919 N 104 2524 W 32 4919 104 2524Area5 464 acres 22 11 km2 Built1887 1887 NRHP reference No 66000476NMSRCP No 7Significant datesAdded to NRHPOctober 15 1966 1 Designated NHLDJuly 19 1964 2 Contents 1 History and description 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksHistory and description EditThe city of Carlsbad is located in the northern reaches of the Chihuahuan Desert In order to work this area agriculturally settlers arriving in the late 19th century turned to irrigation to provide water for their crops By the late 1880s this resulted in a patchwork of private canals irrigating small patches of land Charles B Eddy and Pat Garrett two local ranchers and businessmen hatched the idea of a larger and more organized corporate run irrigation system to serve the entire lower Pecos River valley The project got underway in 1889 when construction began on the Avalon Dam which now serves as a diversion and regulation point for the system In 1893 the Avalon Dam had to be rebuilt after its destruction in a flash flood and the McMillan Dam was built further upriver as a major storage facility The Avalon Dam was once again destroyed by flooding in 1903 sending the system into effective bankruptcy It was then taken over by the United States Bureau of Reclamation which completed reconstruction of the Avalon Dam in 1907 and has overseen the project since The system has since then been augmented by the Brantley Dam which now serves as its primary storage and a dam on the Black River near Malaga that provides additional capacity in that area 3 In addition to the two major dams the district manages the major canals that distribute water to users and the various gatehouses that control water flow Its offices are located in the First Bank of Eddy building in downtown Carlsbad See also Edit National Register of Historic Places portal Wikimedia Commons has media related to Carlsbad Irrigation District National Register of Historic Places listings in Eddy County New Mexico List of National Historic Landmarks in New MexicoReferences Edit National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service April 15 2008 a b Carlsbad Irrigation District National Historic Landmark summary listing National Park Service Archived from the original on 2007 03 02 Retrieved 2008 06 03 a b Mark Hufstetler and Lon Johnson August 1 1991 National Register of Historic Places Registration Carlsbad Irrigation District Carlsbad Project Irrigation System of the Pecos Irrigation and Improvement Company pdf National Park Service a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help and Accompanying 49 photos undated 32 KB External links EditCarlsbad Irrigation District WebSite Historic American Engineering Record HAER No NM 4 Carlsbad Irrigation District Along Pecos River Valley 13 miles North to 15 miles Southeast of Carlbad Carlsbad Eddy County NM HAER No NM 4 A Carlsbad Irrigation District McMillan Dam On Pecos River 13 miles North of Carlsbad HAER No NM 4 B Carlsbad Irrigation District Avalon Dam On Pecos River 4 miles North of Carlsbad HAER No NM 4 C Carlsbad Irrigation District Main Canal 4 miles North to 12 miles Southeast of Carlsbad HAER No NM 4 D Carlsbad Irrigation District East Side Canal 1 mile North to 2 miles East of Carlsbad HAER No NM 4 E Carlsbad Irrigation District Pecos River Flume On Main Canal 5 mile North of Carlsbad HAER No NM 4 F Carlsbad Irrigation District Dark Canyon Siphon On Main Canal 1 mile South of Carlsbad HAER No NM 4 G Carlsbad Irrigation District Black River Canal 15 miles Southeast of Carlsbad near Malaga HAER No NM 4 H Carlsbad Irrigation District First National Bank 201 South Canal Street Carlsbad HAER No NM 4 I Carlsbad Irrigation District Brantley Dam On Pecos River 12 miles Northwest of Carlsbad Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Carlsbad Irrigation District amp oldid 1141282670, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
