Cochiti Lake is located on the Rio Grande about 50 miles upstream from
Albuquerque, NM. The Rio Grande is the fifth longest river in North
America, and among the 20 longest rivers of the world.
From its origins high
in the Rocky Mountains, it travels 1,900 miles and drops
more than two miles before emptying into the Gulf of
Mexico.
The mission of the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers is to provide quality, responsive
engineering service to the nation. The Corps plans,
designs, builds, and operates water resource and other civil works
projects, provides military construction for the Army and Air Force,
and provides design and construction support for other
Defense and Federal Agencies.
Cochiti is one of the ten largest earthfill dams in the
United States. It stretches 5.5 miles and rises 251
feet to impound the waters of the Rio Grande and Santa
Fe River. The construction of the dam was authorized
by the
Flood Control Act of l960 and
construciton began in 1965 at a cost of $94.4 million
dollars.
Two recreation areas, one
on each side of the lake, contain boat launching,
camping and picnicking facilities.
Recreation also includes fishing for trout, northern
pike, catfish, bluegill and
crappie. The cool waters are refreshing to swim in and
quiet, as it is a no
wake lake. With the prevalence of wind, sailing and
sailboarding are also very popular. There are a number
of campsites which include water and electricity, a nearby
sewage disposal facility. Also there are nearby restroom
and shower facilities. It is an ideal location for that escape
from the city and its location for travel to the many historic
sites within this area.