Notice: The Boca Negra Dam has been redesigned by AMAFCA to minimize the amount of basalt rock to be removed.  Rock blasting work although minimized is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, March 20, 2013 and run through mid 2013. The actual dates and times for this work are coordinated and approved by the Albuquerque Fire Department and will be posted by AMAFCA once approval is obtained. See the information page or this information sheet for more information, including contact information if you have any questions about this operation.

The Boca Negra Dam Project will construct the Boca Negra Dam, a 106 acre feet flood control dam at the intersection of Unser and Rainbow and connecting to a storm drain in the old Atrisco right of way, which empties into the Boca Negra Arroyo below the escarpment. The project objectives include providing storm water conveyance and storage, as well as erosion protection to the Boca Negra Canyon, which is part of the Petroglyph National Monument.

PNM was granted an underground and overhead electric easement within part of the detention dam to facilitate the construction of a major electric substation that will meet the electrical needs of the area developing north and west of the escarpment.

The City of Albuquerque will have future open space and multi-use trials in and around the Boca Negra Detention Dam.

The Detention basin will provide a central water collection facility that will eliminate the need to upgrade existing facilities downstream.

A water quality feature will be constructed to remove debris and sediment before the water moves down stream into the Boca Negra Canyon and the Petroglyph National Monument. 

The construction project is scheduled to be completed at the end of 2013. Cost of construction is estimated at $3,825,000.

For more information about the project, call AMAFCA Real Estate Manager Jeff Willis, at 884-2215 .

All links to project reports lead to Acrobat pdf documents. If you do not have Acrobat, Acrobat Reader, or another pdf reader on your computer, you can download the latest Acrobat Reader here.

For progress reports, click on the calendar days below. The report will appear in a new tab or window.

Project site looking north.

Project area location map.