Navajo–Gallup Water Supply 

Project Newsletter

If you would like to learn more about the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project, 

you can visit our website at https://www.usbr.gov/uc/rm/navajo/nav-gallup/.

2nd Quarter, January 2020

Faces of NGWSP

Hello, my name is Barry Longwell. I 

am the Project Construction Engineer 

for the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply 

Project and manage the Bureau 

of Reclamation’s Four Corners 

Construction Office.

I have been involved in the NavajoGallup Water Supply Project since it 

was authorized by Congress in 2009. 

We have worked hard to manage 

the project in partnership with our 

sponsors. Reclamation has awarded 

contracts or entered into agreements 

for the construction of one water 

treatment plant, 7 pumping plants, 

and over 230 miles of pipeline. A lot 

has been completed, but a lot remains 

to do.

As I write this introduction, I am on 

the eve of my retirement from the 

Bureau of Reclamation. I have worked 

on many projects during my career, 

but the one that brings me the most 

pride is the Navajo-Gallup Water 

Supply Project. It has been an honor 

to work with all those involved with 

the Project. I wish to thank everyone 

that I have met and worked with for 

their friendship and their efforts in 

helping to ensure the completion of 

this project for the Navajo people, the 

Jicarilla Apache Nation, and the City 

of Gallup. 

San Juan Generating Station

Water Infrastructure Use Analysis

By James Sterling Acree and Dex L. Lewis, Bureau of Reclamation

The Bureau of Reclamation has begun working collaboratively with both the Public 

Service Company of New Mexico and the City of Farmington Electrical Utility 

System to conduct an in-depth analysis to determine the feasibility of using the San 

Juan Generating Station existing water infrastructure facilities for the raw water 

intake for the NGWSP San Juan Lateral . The water supply facilities, including a 

diversion dam and water intake structure at the San Juan River, two pumping plants, 

supply pipeline, and a raw water storage reservoir, are currently owned by PNM and 

are used to supply cooling water for the SJGS. While PNM is planning to close the 

power plant in 2022, the City of Farmington is exploring an opportunity to keep the 

plant open; in which case joint use of the facilities may be possible and will be part 

of the analysis.

Reclamation 

had previously 

identified 

the Hogback 

Diversion as 

the location for 

the San Juan 

Lateral intake. 

Key benefits 

of the SJGS 

Diversion over 

the Hogback 

Diversion 

include potential 

construction 

cost savings, 

a decrease 

in long-term 

operational costs, and a significant improvement in overall Project operability with 

the reservoir that would enable the river intake to be shut down – while the water 

treatment plant is kept operating – in the event of a substantial storm runoff event 

that muddies the river or an upstream contamination incident, such as a mine spill.

The analysis will include assessments of the individual facility features, design 

and cost estimates of necessary facility modifications, reservoir water quality and 

sediment analysis, and a review of environmental compliance requirements, cultural 

resource sensitivities, rights-of-way considerations, and schedule impacts.

The analysis is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2020, at which point a 

decision will be made whether to use the SJGS facilities or stay with the Hogback 

intake location.

Existing San Juan Generating Station Raw Water Storage Reservoir
Navajo–Gallup Water Supply 

Project Newsletter

If you would like to learn more about the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project, 

you can visit our website at https://www.usbr.gov/uc/rm/navajo/nav-gallup/.

2nd Quarter, January 2020

By Paul Denetclaw P.E., Bureau of Reclamation

An important requirement to delivering drinking water to the 

Navajo Communities and the city of Gallup is the electricity to 

run the water treatment plants and pumping plants, including 

pipeline corrosion protection.

As part of the authorizing legislation for the NGWSP, 

Congress reserved up 26,000 kilowatts of electrical 

power for use on NGWSP facilities. The power comes 

from hydroelectric power plants within Reclamation’s 

Colorado River Storage Project Act projects – NGWSP is a 

“participating project” of CRSP.

U.S. Dept. of Energy’s Western Area Power Administration 

has the statuary authority to sell electricity from Reclamation 

hydroelectric power plants and will enter into an agreement 

with the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority and Reclamation to 

provide electricity for the NGWSP at a discounted rate to 

market wholesale electrical rates.

NTUA’s transmission lines will supply power to the water 

treatment plants and pumping plants on the San Juan Lateral. NGWSP will have capacity in NTUA’s new 115 kilovolt power 

transmission line that will soon be under construction along the Highway 491 corridor. Gallup utilities will provide power to the 

Gallup Regional System facilities that will provide water to the city and Navajo communities surrounding Gallup. Some facilities 

along the Highway 264 corridor between Ya-tah-hey and Tse Bonito will require power to be delivered from Continental Divide 

Electric Cooperative as well. On the Cutter Lateral facilities, Farmington Electric Utility System and Jemez Mountain Electric 

Cooperative will provide power to those facilities.

The water treatment and pumping plants will require a large amount of electricity to pump water from lower elevations along the 

San Juan River to higher elevations along both U.S. Highways 550 and 491 and to produce drinking water that meets regulatory 

requirements. It is very important that the electrical service is highly reliable with few outages.

Electrical Power for NGWSP 

Upcoming Meetings

Project Operations 

Committee will meet 

Wednesday, Feb. 5 at 

10 a.m. at the El Morro 

Events Center in Gallup

Feb.

5

491 Chapters Group 

will meet Tuesday, 

March 10 at 10 a.m. 

at Twin Lakes Chapter 

House

March

10

BBN9 Cutter Lateral 

Group will meet 

Wednesday March 

18 at 10 a.m. at Lake 

Valley Chapter House

March

18

Cutter Lateral OM&R 

Transfer Contract 

Negotiation Meeting 

will meet Wednesday, 

Jan. 22 at 10 a.m. at 

NTUA Headquarters in 

Fort Defiance, AZ

Jan.

22

NGWSP Project 

Construction 

Committee will meet 

Thursday Jan. 30 at 9 

a.m. at the El Morro 

Events Center in Gallup

Jan.

30

Generators at Glen Canyon Dam, near Page, Arizona.