Rio Grande Project
The Rio Grande Project was authorized to settle conflicting interests in the limited supply of water in the Rio Grande Basin. In 1904, an Interior Department study concluded that competing needs for Rio Grande water could be met by constructing a dam at Elephant Butte. Authorized as Engle Dam, one million dollars of non-reimbursable funds were appropriated from the United States Treasury for the dam's construction.
Construction began in 1908, but was delayed due to land acquisition issues. Construction resumed in 1912 and was completed in 1916. The dam's name was changed first to Woodrow Wilson Dam, and then to Elephant Butte Dam. Construction of Caballo Dam began in 1936 and was completed in 1938. Caballo Dam was constructed as a flood control unit and also made it possible to generate power year-round at Elephant Butte Dam. The powerplant was completed in 1940. Other physical features of the Rio Grande Project include: six diversion dams, 129 miles of canals, 457 miles of laterals, and 465 miles of drains.
Reclamation Service's Engle Dam site headquarters, 1911
View from Elephant Butte looking down the Rio Grande, showing the damsite, 1909
Cableways carrying shifting engine across the Rio Grande, April 1912
Excavation to bedrock under flume for dam showing depth of same, April 1912
Blasting to close intake of flume, January, 1915
Elephant Butte Dam, east bank exposure, looking north, November, 1914
Rio Grande Project Office, El Paso, Texas, 1920
Elephant Butte Dam site looking north from towers, May 1915
Standard three-span highway bridge over drains, 1919
Method of placing reinforced concrete to pipe culverts in drains, 1919
Sluice gates and Arrey intake gates, Percha Dam 1917
Caballo Dam and Reservoir from east abutment, 1938
Elephant Butte Reservoir, 1922
Percha Diversion Dam, 1917
Elephant Butte Powerplant, 1940
All penstocks installed at Elephant Butte Powerplant, 1938
Three generating units, each with a capacity of 8,100
kilowatts, 1940