Hahn Arroyo/Paseo del Nordeste - City of Albuquerque · Hahn Arroyo/Paseo del Nordeste The Hahn...

HahnArroyo/PaseodelNordeste

TheHahnArroyosegmentofthePaseodelNordesteTrailisaquiet,threemilelongpathwhichfollowsaconcretelinedchannelthroughsuburbanneighborhoods.Althoughtherouteisshort,thereismuchtoseeanddiscussasweride.ThearroyowasnamedafterabusinessmanwhoalsogavehisnametoasmallsettlementnorthofAlbuquerque,atthemouthofthearroyo.Wewilllookatthemanandexplorethemysteryofhisrelationshiptothatsettlement.Alongtheway,wewillalsoexaminesomeofthedetailsofhowthecity’sstormdrainsystemworks.Thisnetworkofchannelsisdesignedtosavelivesandprotectpropertybutmostofuspayitlittleattentionuntilitisneededinaflood.Outdoorart—bothpublicandprivate—isfoundthroughoutAlbuquerqueandwewilllookatexamplesofboth.Finally,we’llvisitabranchofourpubliclibrarysystemandtalkaboutitsnamesake.

Goingwestiseasy,asthemoderatelyslopedpathdescendssteadilytoitsjunctionwiththeNorthDiversionChannelTrail.Totalelevationloss,(orgainifyou’reridingwesttoeast),isabout300feet.

Thoseridingbackup,especiallybeginners,shouldleavemoretimeforthereturntrip.

Althoughthetrailisonadedicatedrightofway,itcrossesmanyroads.Severalintersectionswithquietstreetshavepoorsightingofcrosstraffic,sobesuretoobeystopsignsandlookbothwaysbeforeproceeding.Thebusyarterialshaveprotectedmedians,allowingcycliststocrossonesetoflanesatatime.

Forthosewhowishtodrivetothetrail,parkingattheeastendisavailableintheCity/AlbuquerquePublicSchoolparkinglotadjacenttoSandiaHighSchool,justeastofPennsylvaniaStreetandthetrailhead.EnterthelotfromDellwoodRoadwhichisonthenorthsideoftheschool.Thelothaslockinggatesanddoesnotlisthoursofoperation.Ifindoubt,thereisplentyofparkingonthesouthsideofDellwoodjusteastofPennsylvania.However,there’snoparkingonthisstretchofDellwoodfrom7AMto3PMweekdays.

Thewestendhasnoformalpublicparking.Further,thetrail’sjunctionwiththeNorthDiversionChannelisinaccessiblefromthestreet.JustbelowthejunctionisasmallcityparkwithnopublicparkingbutnearbystreetsideparkingisavailableonLafayetteDrive.Ifyouusethisoption,youcanaccessthetrailbyridingeastonDelmarAvenuefortwoblocksandthenturningnorthontheshort

paveddrainagethattakesyourighttothepath.DelmarAvenueisonelongblocknorthofCandelariaRoadandLafayetteDriveisthreeblockswestofCarlisleBoulevard.

ParkingisavailablecurbsideatMontgomeryParkandalsointheparkinglotforErnaFergussonLibrary.Bothoftheselocationsareaboutmidwaybetweenthetwoendpoints.

Citybusescarrybikeracksandwithcarefulplanningtheycangetyoutothetrailandthenhome.The#13onComancheRoadandthe#7onCandelariaRoad—bothcommuterrouteswithlimitedschedules--canbringyoutobusstopsonPennsylvaniaStreetneartheeastendofthetrail.Fromeitherbusstop,youhavelessthan1/2mileridealongPennsylvania’sbikelanestothetrailhead.The#5onCarlisleBoulevardwillgetyouclosetothewestend.Formoredetailsseethecity’sbusinformationathttp://www.cabq.gov/transit/bus-routes-and-schedules.

Toreachtheeastendofthetrailbybicycle,usePennsylvaniaStreetwhichhasbikelanesandconnectswithmanybikewaystothenorth,southandeast.ToreachthewestendoftheHahnArroyo,usetheNorthDiversionChannelTrail/PaseodelNortdeste.TheHahnArroyotrailturnseastfromtheNorthDiversionChannelabout.4milesnorthofComancheRoadandabout.3milessouthofMontgomeryBoulevard.Formoredetails,seethecity’sbikewaymap:http://www.cabq.gov/bike/documents/bike-map.pdf/view.

JunctionofHahnArroyoandPennsylvaniaStreet.

ThestartofthetrailissignedonthewestsideofPennsylvaniaStreetandis0.2milesnorthofCandelariaRoadand0.2milessouthofComancheRoad.ThesignatthestartofthetrailnotesyouareenteringPaseodelNordesteTrail.ThisisanextensionofthePaseodelNordesteTrailthatincludespartoftheNorthDiversionChannel(NDC)trail.WetreattheentireNDCasaseparatetour.

HahnArroyowasbuiltinthe1970’sbytheAlbuquerqueMetropolitanArroyoFloodControlAuthority,(AMAFCA).AMAFCAisapoliticalsubdivisionoftheStateofNewMexico,createdbythestatelegislaturein1963.ItspurposeistoprovidefloodcontrolforthegreaterAlbuquerqueareabybuildingandmaintainingfloodcontrol

0.0/3.1Miles

Shade,Tables&Chairs-ParkingAreaNorthofSandiaHighSchool

LookingEast–TheTrailheadAndSandiaHighAreOnTheRight

structures.TheAuthorityisgovernedbyanelectedboard

ConcretelinedHahnArroyobeginsjustafewblockseastofPennsylvaniaStreetwheredrainagefromDellwoodAvenueemptiesintothechannel.Determiningwheretoallowdrainagetoflowthroughstreetsandwheretorequireaseparatechannelinvolvesbalancingatleasttwofactors:Ontheonehand,theprivatehomedeveloperwishestomaximizetheavailablelandforhouseconstruction.Ontheotherhand,theCityandAMAFCAwanttoensurefloodwatersare

carriedawaysafely.

ThePlaceNamesofNewMexicobyRobertJulyannotedthattheHahndrainagewasnamedafterasmallsettlementandtradingpointlocatedatthemouthofthearroyo.Itwasestablishedaround1910byWilliamH.Hahn.Thelocationwasalsoarailroadstop,builtin1909fourmilesnorthofAlbuquerque.Besidesthestation,thevillageofHahnhadadditionalrailroadfacilities.Historically,HahnwaswheresingletrackendedanddoubletrackbeganastrainsheadedsouthintoAlbuquerque.Intheadjacent1990UnitedStatesGeologicalSurveymap,HahnArroyocanbeseenenteringfromtheeast.Aswe’llsee,mostoftheHahn’swaterisnowinterceptedbytheNorthDiversionChannel.

W.H.HahnwasamerchantwhosoldcoalfromhiscommercialyardsindowntownAlbuquerqueandSantaFe.HewasalsopartowneroftheMadridmines,sourceofhiscoal.Foratime,heservedasvicepresidentofAmericanLumberCompanywhichwas,

OfficeStaff,W.H.HahnCoalCo.,ca.1900

HahnWasLocatedNearTheNorthwestCornerOfGriegosRd.&EdithBlvd.

alongwiththerailroad,oneofthelargestemployersinearlyAngloAlbuquerque.ForabriefperiodheownedaCadillacdealership.Around1917,HahnmovedtoLosAngeles.Somewhatsurprisingly,weknowlittleaboutwhyhestartedthevillagethatbearshisnameandwhatkindofbusinessheranthere.Theformersettlementisnowcoveredwithindustrialdevelopment.Asistrueforallofthesetours,readersarewelcometoaddcommentsandanyonewhocanshedlightonW.H.Hahn’srelationshiptothesettlementisinvitedtoposttheinformation.

JusteastofLouisianaBoulevard.

ThestructureextendingupwardfromthefloorofthechannelisaflowgaugeinstalledbytheUnitedStatesGeologicalSurvey,(USGS),in1978.Itisnotcurrentlyinuse.Amoremodernapparatushasbeen

placedinHahnArroyojusteastofMonroeStreet,onthenorthsideofthechannel.Thenewergaugerecordswaterdepthandflowrateandiscapableoftransmittingdatabysatellite,allowingtheUSGStoobserveflowsinrealtime.Unfortunately,datafromtheHahngaugeisnotavailableontheUSGSrealtimewebsite,

WaterWatch,(http://waterwatch.usgs.gov/?m=real&w=map&r=nm).TheUSGShasinstalledaraingaugeupstreamintheHahnwatershed,allowingtheagencytobuildamodelofhowrainfallandrunoffinteract.Thisinformationcanthenbeusedtoaidinthedesignandmodificationofthisandotherarroyos.ToddKelleyoftheUSGSnotedthatrecordflowinHahnoccurredinJune,1999,whenthewaterlevelreachedfivefeetandwasclosetooverflowingitschannel.Flowrateatthattimewas6230cubicfeetpersecond.Consistentwiththeisolatednatureofourthunderstorms,Toddnotedthatthisrecordflowwasalocalizedevent,withnoothermeasuredsitesreachingrecordflow.

Besidesmeasuringwaterflow,thegaugecontainsequipmenttomeasurewaterquality.TheUnitedStatesEnvironmentalProtectionAgency,(EPA),requiresthecitytomonitorwaterflowingintotheRioGrandeandensurethatitmeetscertainpuritystandards.

0.5/2.6Miles

USGSFlowGage-JustEastOfLouisianaBlvd.

LouisianaBoulevard.

AprotectedmedianallowssafecrossingofLouisianaBoulevard.

CaliforniaStreet.

AsignhereexplainstherehabilitationprojectundertakenonthestretchofHahnArroyofromCaliforniaStreettoComancheRoad.Notethewalkingpathonthenorthsideofthechannelwhichisalsopartofthework.

Theproject,completedinDecember2011,wastheresultofcollaborationbetweenAMAFCAandtheCityofAlbuquerque.Overmanyyears,thechannelhaddeterioratedandwasinneedofreconstruction.Whileplanningforthework,AMAFCA,cityadministrators,planners,publicartspeopleandpoliticiansallcontributedtoavisionoftherenovatedarroyothatincludedart,plantingofvegetation,reststops,awalkingpathonthenorthsideandotheramenities.

Thetileworkyouseehereisunusual.Referredtoaslitho-mosaicart,thetilesaregluedtoameshbackingandinstalledbyacontractoronsite.Inthelitho-mosaicprocess,theartistworksindoors,arrangingandsecuringtilesandthenaconstructioncrewhandlestheoutdoorinstallationofthecompletedmosaic.Muchofthedesignandlayoutwasdonebycommunitymembers,includingmanychildren.WorkingthroughtheHarwoodArtCenter,participantsfirstidentifiedlivingthingsseeninand

aroundNewMexico’sditches.Next,theymadedrawings,enlargedthem,andusedthemaspatternsforlayingtiles.

Uniquetothispublicartinstallationwasthebroadbaseofcommunityparticipation.Everyonewasinvitedtocontribute.Theresultwasstrongbuyinfromthesurroundingneighborhoods,afeelingofownershipandthecreationofanattractivepublicspacethatinvitesuse.Youcanseethefullstoryhere:http://vimeo.com/43425354.

Anotherunusualfeatureoftherehabilitationprojectisthevarietyofmeansusedtowaterthevegetation.Notethesmalldepressionsinthedirtwhichhavebeenexcavatednearthe

0.6/2.5Miles

1.0/2.1Miles

WaterDamageToTheArroyoBottom

FishMosaicnearSanPedroDrive

path.Theselowspotscatchwaterrunoff.Additionalwatercomesfromcitywells.Periodically,thecity’sdrinkingwaterwellsmustbeshutdownformaintenanceandduringperiodswithoutpumping,thesewellsaccumulatesediment.Whenthepumpsarere-startedthissediment-ladenwatermustbeclearedoutbeforethewellwatercanbeusedfordrinking.Ratherthanwastethisundrinkablewater,thecitypipesitintoHahnarroyo,whereitisdrainedintoanotherpipesystemendinginacisternnearMontgomeryPark.Fromthecistern,thewaterisredistributedtothevegetation.TheintakeforthisdistributionsystemcanbeseenonthearroyofloorjustupstreamfromthelargesteelfilteringstructurewestofSanPedroDrive.

Toseethesculptureofthetworeptiles,gosouthonCaliforniaStreettoKiowaAvenue.AtKiowa,CaliforniaturnsintoAztecRoad.RideonehalfofablockonAztecandlookforthesculptureinthefrontyardontheright.

SanPedroDrive.Thisintersectionhasmoretilesandlandscapingaswellasabicycleairpump,courtesyofAMAFCA.Benchesandapavilionproviderestandshade.

TheadjacentCityphotoshowsatorrentofwaterinthearroyojustwestofSanPedroDrive.Thisoccurredduringa2013rainstorm.Whilemostofuslookatfloodingasafascinatingandfearfulevent,floodcontrolengineerstakeamoredispassionateapproach,methodicallyexaminingthetechnicalfeaturesoffastmovingwaterinordertominimizeitsdamage.Afewofthesefeaturesareworthdiscussinghere.Tostart,imaginethrowingapebbleintoaquietpond.Circularwavestravelingatacertain

JustOffTheTrail–AztecRoadnearCaliforniaStreet

June,2013Flood–LookingWestFromSanPedroDrive.Notethestandingwave.

1.1/2.0Miles

speedspreadoutfromthepebble.Nowimaginethrowingapebbleintoamovingstream.Ifthestreamflowisslowerthanthespeedatwhichthewavesspreadfromthepebble,thesewaveswillcontinuetospreaddownstreamandupstream,albeitmoreslowlyupstream.Butifstreamflowmovesfasterthanthepebble’swaves,thewaveswillspreaddownstreamonly.Streamflowwhichmovesslowerthanthespeedofitswavesissaidtobesubcriticalwhilewatermovingfasterissaidtobesupercritical.Wateratsupercriticalflowhassubstantiallymoreenergythansubcriticalflow.

Further,whentheflowslowsfromsuper-tosubcritical,(achangereferredtoasa“hydraulicjump”),agooddealofthisenergyisreleased.Thisdissipatedenergyisexpressedthroughturbulence,rapidsandincreasedwaterheight.Astandingwave--asshownintheforegroundofthephotoonthepreviouspage--isanothermanifestationofahydraulicjump.Thereleasedenergyhasdestructivepowerwhichmustbemanagedinordertominimizedamagetoproperty.Forthosewhowantmoredetailsaswellassomeimpressivephotosofhydraulicjumps,seeWikipedia,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydraulic_jump.

JustwestofSanPedroDrive,notethelargesteelfilteringstructureandthesignexplainingitsfunction.ThefilterwasdesignedbyAMAFCAandmodeledattheUniversityofNewMexicoHydrologyLab.Itwascreatedtobalancetwopotentiallyconflictingrequirementsissuedbytwodifferentfederalagencies.Ontheonehand,theEnvironmentalProtectionAgencyrequiresthatstormwaterenteringariverbescrubbedcleanofpollutants.Ontheotherhand,theArmyCorpsofEngineersdiscouragesbarriersinwaterwaysasthesemayhindersmoothflow.TheadjacentCityphotoshowsthestructureduringthe2013flood.

Justeastofthesteelstructureandlocatedonthefloorofthearroyoistheintakefortherecycledwatermentionedearlier.

ComancheRoad.

CrossingComancheRoad,youenterMontgomeryPark.Thisisaspaciousfacilitywithgrass,trees,swings,playingfields,andtenniscourts.ParkingisavailableontheeastsideoftheparkoffComancheRoad--justeastofwherethetrailcrossesComanche.Curbsideparking

ErnaFergussonBranchLibrary

1.4/1.7Miles

SteelFilteringStructure-June,2013Flood

isavailableontheresidentialstreetsborderingMontgomeryPark.Adjacenttotheparkisthecity’sPaloDuroSeniorCenterandmunicipalpool.TheparkisnamedfortheMontgomeryfamily,whoin1909homesteadedlandnearwhatisnowtheintersectionofMontgomeryandCarlisleBoulevards.

SanMateoBoulevard.

InthesoutheastcorneroftheintersectionofHahnArroyoandSanMateoBoulevardistheErnaFergussonbranchoftheAlbuquerque/BernalilloCountyPublicLibrary.Thelibraryoffersparking,restrooms,drinkingwater,andaquietplacetorestaswellasbooks,periodicals,computersandhelpfullibrarians.

ErnaFergusson,(1888-1964),wasateacher,atravelguideandanauthor.ShewasthedaughterofHarveyFergusson,prominentlawyer,territorialdelegate,andafterstatehood,UnitedStatesRepresentative.HergrandfatherwasFranzHuningwhosettledinAlbuquerqueinthemid-nineteenthcenturyandthroughhisbusinesses,becameawealthy,widelyrespectedcitizen.ErnatraveledthesouthwestandlaterLatinAmerica,publishingmanyarticlesandbooksaboutherexperiences.ShealsowroteextensivelyaboutthehistoryandcurrentaffairsofAlbuquerqueandNewMexico.Herbestknownwork,DancingGods:IndianCeremonialsInNewMexicoandArizona,waspublishedin1931.HerwritingsplayedasignificantroleinpopularizingsouthwesternculturethroughouttheUnitedStates.Interestingly,shewasanearlyadvocateofconservation,decryingtheslaughterof

buffalo,overgrazing,destructivedevelopment,andtheloggingoftheBosque.AbriefbiographyofherbyDavidA.Remleycanbefoundatthisandseveralotherlibrarybranches.

Theeastandsouthsidesofthelibrary,adjacentwalkwaysandthenearbySanMateotrafficmedianareallsitesofapublicartinstallationtitled,“AlphabetSoup.”PeteBeeman,thecreatoroftheartnotedthatlettersarethebuildingblocksofourlanguage,ofourlearningandofourcivilizationandinhisinstallationtheyswarmoutofthelibraryintoourlives.PeteisaPortlandbasedartistwhohasdoneotherlargescalepublicartprojects,manyofthemquitedelightful.Youcanseephotosofsomeofhisother

ErnaFergusson

AlphabetSoupSculptureSanMateoMedian

1.7/1.4Miles

workhere:http://petebeeman.com/Projects/projectPublic1.html.

JusteastofMonroeStreet.T

TheUSGSflowgaugementionedearlierisonthearroyo’snorthwall.Notethetransmittingequipment.

WashingtonStreet.

Travelingfromwesttoeast,WashingtonStreetisthestartofthe“presidentstreets,”aserieswhichendsatSanMateoBoulevard.However,beforeJuly1,1952,streetsnamedafterpresidentswerescatteredallaroundthecity.AlbuquerquecitygovernmentchosetheJulydatetorenameapproximately650streetsandalsotoinstituteour4quadrantgridsystem,(NE,NW,SE,andSW).Thismassiveundertakingwasdeemednecessarybecauseearlierstreetnaminghadbeenuncoordinated,asmanybuilderscreatedwidelyscatteredhousingdevelopmentsintheNortheastHeights.Inherbook,AtriscoToZenaLona–ASnappySurveyOfSelectedAlbuquerqueStreetNames,JudyNickellprovidedmanydetailsofthisre-namingandnotedthatthiswasthebiggeststreetnamechangeinU.S.history.CarlisleBoulevard.NotetherampinthearroyojusteastofCarlisleBoulevard.Theincreasedgradeacceleratestheflowof

water,ensuringitwillpassquicklyunderthebridge.WestofCarlisleBoulevard,thechanneldeepens,reflectingthenaturaldowncuttingofthearroyo.Floodwatersaremovingrapidlyhereandthearroyo’shighwallspreventsplashing.

AMAFCAhasinstalledlargefinsalongthewallsofthearroyojustbeforeitjoinstheNorthDiversionChannel.Thesefinsslowthewaterandpreventitfromflowingoutofthearroyoasthechannelcurvesnorthward.

JunctionwiththeNorthDiversionChannel.

LueckingParkistothesouthandbelowthetrail.Therearepicnictables,swings,andshade.Streetsideparkingisavailable.

NoteTheFinsAttachedToTheArroyoWall

2.2/0.9Miles

2.7/0.4Miles

3.1/0.0Miles

1.9/1.2Miles

TheHahnArroyoisoneofmanydrainagesflowingwestwardoutoftheSandiaMountainsanddownintotheRioGrandeValley.Alongwithmostoftheotherarroyosdrainingthemountain’swestescarpment,theHahnisnowinterceptedbytheNorthDiversionChanneleastofthevalleyfloor.Historically,floodingfromthesewest-flowingchannelswreakedhavocinthelowlandsofthevalley,includingdowntown.Floodingwaseventuallycontrolledintwoways.First,controlstructuressuchasdamsandimpoundmentswerebuiltintotheindividualarroyos.Secondandveryimportantly,theNorthDiversionChannelwasconstructedtointerceptthewest-flowingchannelsanddiverttheirwatersintotheriveratapointwelltothenorthofAlbuquerque.ForadetailedlookatthecontroversysurroundingtheconstructionoftheNDCandtheconflict’sfascinatingresolution,seethebiketourfortheNorthDiversionChannelTrail.

Thisistheendofthetour.Ifyouhavetime,considerexploringsomeofthetrailalongtheNorthDiversion

Channelsinceyouarerightthere.

PhotoCredits:Page3,HahnCoalCompany:CourtesyofMaryHuberandHistoricAlbuquerque;Page6,2013Flooding:CityofAlbuquerque,DepartmentofMunicipalDevelopment;Page7,SteelFilteringStructure:CityofAlbuquerque,DepartmentofMunicipalDevelopment;Page8,ErnaFergusson:ErnaFergussonPhotographCollection,CenterforSouthwestResearch,UniversityLibraries,UniversityofNewMexico.PCT000-045-0005;Page10,ServiceVehicleinNDC:CityofAlbuquerque,DepartmentofMunicipalDevelopment.Allotherphotosarebytheauthors.

Thankstothosewhohelped:KevinDaggett;VernGlover;MaryHuber;ToddKelley;EileenOConnellandstaffoftheSpecialCollectionsBranch,Albuquerque/BernalilloCountyLibrary;MoPalmer;JoeSabatini;JanetSaiers:DianeShallerandHistoricAlbuquerque;GeorgeSieber;TheStaffoftheUNMCenterforSouthwestResearch;MarkStone;KurtWagner;MaryWyantandstaffoftheUNMCentennialLibraryMapRoom.

AServiceVehicleWasCaughtInTheNorthDiversionChannelDuringTheFloodOf2013