The beginnings of the overall West I-40 Diversion Project were presented at the August 22, 1974, AMAFCA Board meeting, where the Board adopted the West Albuquerque Metropolitan Area Drainage Management Plan. AMAFCA commissioned the plan to analyze the watershed and facilitate the efficient use of funding for future drainage infrastructure on the West Mesa area of Albuquerque.
As development on the Westside of Albuquerque continued, private funding was utilized to update the plan many times. The intent of the drainage plans were to outline projects which would divert flows that historically reached the South Valley of the Albuquerque Metropolitan Area and cause flooding issues. Over the years, the West I-40 DMP was updated several times as numerous projects were built along the north side of I-40 between the Rio Grande and 98th Street.
West I-40 Diversion Channel Phase IV Project
- Over 4000’ of Channel
- Over 6000’ of Multi-Use Trail
- Used reclaimed rocks and boulders from the existing area for the Volcano and other features.
- One water quality “Volcano”
- $4.1 million Cost
West I-40 Diversion Overall Information:
- Collaboration between AMAFCA, NMDOT, FHWA, CABQ, BC along with many Private Developers
- Innovative agreement for Federally purchased ROW to be swapped for benefit of the overall community.
- 7 miles of facilities –Nine Mile Hill to Rio Grande
- 3 miles of trail
- Protects South Valley from upland drainage.
- Used to justify SVFRP.
- Over $33 million of improvements
- Phases
- Phase I – Rio Grande River to Coors – completed by NMDOT 1991
- Phase II – Coors to West Bluff Pond – completed by AMAFCA 1997
- Phase III – West Bluff Pond to future La Presa – completed by AMAFCA 2006
- NM GRIP Project – Unser to Atrisco Vista – complete by NMDOT 2009
- La Presa Dam – completed by AMAFCA 2013
- Phase IV – La Presa Dam to 98th St –AMAFCA 2017
Model of the West I-40 Volcano