Rio Puerco (Rio Grande tributary)

Rio Puerco
The Rio Puerco where it crosses the eastern edge of the Tohajiilee Indian Reservation, just west of Albuquerque's West Mesa, Petroglyph National Monument, and Double Eagle II Airport
Map of the Rio Grande watershed, showing the Rio Puerco joining the Rio Grande near Albuquerque.
Location
Country	United States
State	New Mexico
County	Socorro, Valencia, Bernalillo, Sandoval, Rio Arriba
Physical characteristics
Source	San Pedro Peaks
• location	Nacimiento Mountains
• coordinates	36°7′28″N 106°49′53″W / 36.12444°N 106.83139°W / 36.12444; -106.83139[1]
• elevation	10,500 ft (3,200 m)[2]
Mouth	Rio Grande
• coordinates	34°22′23″N 106°50′33″W / 34.37306°N 106.84250°W / 34.37306; -106.84250[1]
• elevation	4,711 ft (1,436 m)[1]
Length	230 mi (370 km)[3]
Basin size	7,350 sq mi (19,000 km2)[4]
Discharge
• location	USGS gage 08353000, 3 miles above mouth[4]
• average	39.5 cu ft/s (1.12 m3/s)[4]
• minimum	0 cu ft/s (0 m3/s)
• maximum	35,000 cu ft/s (990 m3/s)

The Rio Puerco is a tributary of the Rio Grande in the U.S. state of New Mexico. From its source on the west side of the Nacimiento Mountains, it flows about 230 miles (370 km),^[3] generally south to join the Rio Grande about 20 miles (32 km) south of Belen and about 50 miles (80 km) south of Albuquerque. Its drainage basin is about 7,350 square miles (19,000 km²) large, of which probably about 1,130 square miles (2,900 km²) are noncontributing.^[4]

The Rio Puerco is ephemeral, with no streamflow for part of the year. Its discharge averages 39.5 cubic feet per second (1.12 m³/s). The maximum officially recorded discharge was 5,980 cubic feet per second (169 m³/s), in 1941. The greatest flood since about 1880 occurred on September 23, 1929, with an estimated discharge of 35,000 cubic feet per second (990 m³/s). Another flood, on August 12, 1929, reached an estimated 30,600 cubic feet per second (870 m³/s).^[4]