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45-462: The Rio Grande valley from Taos Pueblo downstream to Socorro has been continuously settled for longer than any other part of the United States. The Pueblo Indians diverted water from the river for irrigation. Spanish settlers who arrived in the 17th century established a more extensive system of acequias , or shared irrigation canals. More settlers arrived after the region was ceded to

90-517: A day with their families and close their village to any non-Indian. The Taos Pueblo approach death with an air of "stoicism," and they are only allowed to visit cemeteries on All Souls' Day or the day of someone's burial. In the cultural fabric of the Taos Pueblo, the ethnographic data suggests that women are considered to be subordinate to men. The Pueblo social structure is dictated by kiva memberships, and women are not allowed to take part in

135-573: A group of Taos Puebloans to Charles Bent's house in the town of Taos. The governor was shot with arrows, scalped , and killed. Following the death of Bent and several other Americans, Col. Sterling Price , commander of the US forces based in Santa Fe, led an expedition against the insurgents, defeating them at the Battle of Cañada on January 24. The rebels retreated inside Taos Pueblo, and Price bombarded

180-553: A high level of "interconnectedness and mutual dependence" between the Taos Pueblo and their surrounding land, where they derive many of their cultural traditions. Consequently, a historical rivalry exists between the people on the South side of the river (summer people) and the North side (winter people). Foot races, which have significant religious meaning in the tribe, are a common way for these two groups to express their rivalry, and there

225-586: A setting backed by the Taos Mountains of the Sangre de Cristo Range . The settlement was built on either side of Rio Pueblo de Taos , also called Rio Pueblo and Red Willow Creek, a small stream that flows through the middle of the pueblo compound. Its headwaters come from Blue Lake, or Ba Whyea, in the nearby mountains. Taos Pueblo's most prominent architectural feature is a multi-storied residential complex of reddish-brown adobe , built on either side of

270-411: Is a long held tradition in their tribe that was possibly created before the pyramids. In addition, the Taos Pueblo attribute great value to Blue Lake in regards to their "living culture and agricultural sustainability." According to Wood, the Taos Pueblo people never turn strangers away from their doors because they value both courtesy and hospitality. However, on All Souls' Day , the Taos Pueblo spend

315-402: Is for general living and sleeping, and the second of which is for cooking, eating, and storage. Each home is self-contained; there are no passageways between the houses. Taos Indians made little use of furniture in the past, but today they have tables , chairs, and beds. In the pueblo, electricity, running water , and indoor plumbing are prohibited. Two spiritual practices are represented in

360-556: Is now supplied directly from Cochiti Dam. The distribution and drainage system includes 202 miles (325 km) of canals, of which about 6 miles (9.7 km) are concrete lined; 580 miles (930 km) of laterals, of which about 4 miles (6.4 km) are concrete lined; and 405 miles (652 km) of open and concrete pipe drains, most of which are open section. From 1953 to 1961 the Bureau of Reclamation undertook extensive rehabilitation of canals, laterals, drains, and acequias throughout

405-585: Is probably a borrowing of Taos tə̂o- "village" which was heard as tao to which the plural -s was added although in the modern language Taos is no longer a plural noun. It has been proposed that the Spanish Taos comes from tao, "cross of the order of San Juan de los Caballeros" (from Greek tau ), but that is unlikely to be the case. It is most likely that the Taos Indigenous people, along with other Pueblo Indigenous people, settled along

450-431: Is the largest multistoried Pueblo structure still existing. It is made of adobe walls that are often several feet thick. Its primary purpose was for defense. Up to as late as 1900, access to the rooms on lower floors was by ladders on the outside to the roof, and then down an inside ladder. In case of an attack, outside ladders could easily be pulled up. The homes in this structure usually consist of two rooms, one of which

495-816: The Cochiti area, 24 miles (39 km) in the Albuquerque area, 28 miles (45 km) in the Belen area, 37 miles (60 km) in the Socorro area, 33 miles (53 km) in the San Marcial area and 1 mile (1.6 km) in the Truth or Consequences areas. Maintenance activities include clearing sediment plugs, pilot channeling, jetty installation, and maintaining the low-flow channel. The Bureau of Reclamation has been using alternative methods of channel maintenance since

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540-725: The Cochiti Dam was constructed by the Corps of Engineers for flood control, inundating the former Cochiti Diversion Dam. It also provides irrigation water to the Cochiti Division. The Bureau of Reclamation rehabilitated four diversion dams. Angostura Diversion Dam , rehabilitated in 1958, serves the Albuquerque Division. It is a concrete weir section 17 feet (5.2 m) high and 800 feet (240 m) long. Isleta Diversion Dam , rehabilitated in 1955, serves

585-689: The Rio Grande after migrating south from the Four Corners region. The dwellings of that region were inhabited by the Ancestral Puebloans . A long drought in the area in the late 13th century may have caused them to move to the Rio Grande, where the water supply was more dependable. However, their reason for migrating is still disputed and there is evidence that a violent struggle took place. Ultimately, archeological clues point to

630-607: The Belen Division. It is a reinforced concrete structure 21 feet (6.4 m) high and 674 feet (205 m) long with 30 radial gates. San Acacia Diversion Dam , rehabilitated in 1957, serves the Socorro Division. It is 17 feet (5.2 m) high and 700 feet (210 m) long, with 29 radial gates. The Cochiti Division was formerly served by the Cochiti Diversion Dam, rehabilitated in 1958, but

675-611: The Bureau of Reclamation rehabilitated the dam, a rolled-gravel embankment with a steel membrane on the upstream face, 230 feet (70 m) high with a crest length of 1,326 feet (404 m). In 1965-1968 the Bureau of Reclamation built a new outlet works to handle additional water delivered by the San Juan–Chama Project . The reservoir has a capacity of 196,500 acre-feet (one acre foot equaling 43,560 cubic feet (1,233 m)). The dam feeds an 8,000 kilowatt hydroelectric power plant operated by Los Alamos County . In 1974-1975

720-517: The Bureau of Reclamation undertook river realignment and improvement between Velarde and the mouth of the Rio Puerco . Maintenance along a 149-mile (240 km) stretch of the river to control floods and reduce non-beneficial use of water through evapotranspiration is an ongoing requirement. The lengths of river maintained are 18 miles (29 km) in the Espanola area, 8 miles (13 km) in

765-606: The Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District. This supports cultivation of alfalfa, barley, wheat, oats, corn, fruits and vegetables. The river maintenance program, coupled with the Corps of Engineers' flood control dams and system of levees, has greatly reduced the threat of uncontrolled flooding in the Middle Rio Grande Valley. Stabilization of the river channel through clearing, pilot channels, and jetty fields has resulted in

810-470: The Pueblo in 1996. Blue Lake, which the people of the Pueblo consider sacred, was included in this return of Taos land. The Pueblo notably involved non-native people in lobbying the federal government for the return of Blue Lake, as they argued that their unrestricted access to the lake and the surrounding region was necessary to ensure their religious freedom. The Pueblo's web site names the reacquisition of

855-545: The Pueblo: the original indigenous spiritual and religious tradition and Roman Catholicism . The majority of Indigenous Taos continue to practice their still-vital and ancient religion. Most (90%) members of the Taos Pueblo community are baptized as Roman Catholics. Saint Jerome , or San Geronimo, is the patron saint of the pueblo. Since Spanish colonization , the native Taos people have resisted cultural change and influence with European ideas. Many ethnographers observe

900-576: The Rio Grande flood plains and its main tributaries above Caballo Reservoir . The Bureau of Reclamation and the Corps of Engineers worked together to plan the project. The Flood Control Act of 17 May 1950 approved completion of the plan. The Bureau of Reclamation was responsible for rehabilitating the El Vado dam, the irrigation and drainage works and the river channel. The Corps of Engineers was responsible for building flood control reservoirs and flood protection levees. The Middle Rio Grande Project includes

945-529: The Rio Pueblo. The Pueblo's website states it was probably built between 1000 and 1450. The pueblo was designated a National Historic Landmark on October 9, 1960. In 1992 it was designated as a UNESCO Heritage Site . As of 2010, about 150 people live in the historical pueblo full-time. In the Tanoan language of Taos ( Northern Tiwa ), the pueblo is referred to as "the village" in either tə̂otho "in

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990-657: The Southwest and the increasing Spanish colonial presence. Taos Pueblo was no exception. By 1660, the native people killed the resident priest and destroyed the church. The Spanish replied brutally. Several years after it was rebuilt, the Pueblo Revolt of 1680 began. During the Mexican-American War , New Mexico came under United States control after the Battle of Santa Fe in August 1846. Charles Bent

1035-522: The United States in 1848, particularly after the American Civil War (1861-1865). Irrigation peaked in 1880 with 1,248,000 acres (505,000 ha) of cultivated land in the stretch of valley from Cochiti to San Marcial . The extent of cultivation began to decline after this due to water shortage, floods and waterlogging caused by aggradation of the riverbed, a rising water table and poor drainage. The Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District

1080-490: The World Monument Fund. It is listed on its watchlist because of its endangered nature, both culturally and structurally. By the end of the conservation efforts, twenty-one adobe houses are expected to be restored. The previous fund has also covered the cost of a laser scanning of the structures. The main characteristics of the conservation of Taos Pueblo aim to encourage a community-based approach. They include

1125-565: The building materials were well suited for the rigors of the environment and the needs of the people in the Taos Valley . The first Spanish-influenced architecture appeared in Taos Pueblo after Fray Francisco de Zamora came there in 1598 to establish a mission, under orders from Spanish Governor, Don Juan de Oñate . The north-side Pueblo is said to be one of the most photographed and painted buildings in North America. It

1170-427: The establishment of large wooded riparian areas called the bosque. Previously, large stands of trees were destroyed during heavy runoff years because the river meandered back and forth across the channel from levee to levee. The areas between the cleared floodway and the riverside levees are now filled with a permanent stand of large trees and other dense growths of vegetation. The invasion of nonnative species, as well as

1215-621: The idea that the Natives may have been forced to leave. Throughout its early years, Taos Pueblo was a central point of trade between the native populations along the Rio Grande and their Plains Tribes neighbors to the northeast. Taos Pueblo hosted a trade fair each fall after the agricultural harvest. Spanish conquistadors first arrived at Taos Pueblo in 1540; they were members of the Francisco Vásquez de Coronado expedition, which stopped at many of New Mexico's pueblos in search of

1260-525: The lack of native tree regeneration, is of environmental concern. Citations Sources [REDACTED]  This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Bureau of Reclamation . Taos Pueblo Taos Pueblo (or Pueblo de Taos ) is an ancient pueblo belonging to a Taos -speaking ( Tiwa ) Native American tribe of Puebloan people . It lies about 1 mile (1.6 km) north of

1305-404: The late 1980s in an effort to improve the quality of the riverine and riparian habitats. Rehabilitation of the irrigation system throughout the project has resulted in a more stable water supply to about 90,000 acres (36,000 ha) of irrigated land, including water for the six southern Indian pueblos of Cochiti, Santo Domingo, San Felipe, Santa Ana, Sandia, and Isleta, all of which are served by

1350-411: The majority of an 11-unit house which was in a state of near collapse. The first phase of the conservation of Taos Pueblo is the construction of the training center, restoration of 120 to 150 houses, training of the local people in the community, creation of a detailed assessment of the structure of the compound, and establishment of a cultural center and tribal archives. The second phase was financed by

1395-560: The men around them. In 2011, the Taos Pueblo Preservation Program received a $ 800,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The fund aims to hire more workers, especially those who are trained in traditional construction techniques for conservation work, as well as workshop assistants who help pueblo homeowners with maintenance of traditional adobe homes. Supervisors teach trainees about traditional construction methods while rebuilding

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1440-478: The modern city of Taos, New Mexico . The pueblos are one of the oldest continuously inhabited communities in the United States. Taos Pueblo has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site . Taos Pueblo is a member of the Eight Northern Pueblos . A tribal land of 95,000 acres (38,000 ha) is attached to the pueblo, and about 4,500 people live in this area. The pueblo was constructed in

1485-632: The project. In 1951 the Bureau of Reclamation began construction of the low-flow conveyance channel between San Acacia Diversion Dam and the Narrows of Elephant Butte, completing the job in 1959. In 1961 the Bureau of Reclamation completed modification of the headworks for the Socorro Main Canal north at San Acacia Diversion Dam. In 1975 the canal was tied into Drain Unit No. 7 Extension and then to Drain Unit No. 7 system. Between 1954 and 1962

1530-520: The rituals held in these sacred spaces because they "are not trained" to do so. Despite the exclusion of women from some spiritual activities, the women in the Taos Pueblo society "exercised a considerable degree of influence economically, politically, and interpersonally." For example, single women can run their own households, and married women control their own finances because they traditionally work as cooks or maids. Additionally, women have informal decision making power, using their abilities to influence

1575-555: The river from Velarde to the Narrows of Elephant Butte Reservoir. The Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District operates the irrigation facilities, including the three diversion dams. The Corps of Engineers operates and maintains Cochiti Dam. In 1934-1935 the conservancy district built the El Vado Dam on the Rio Chama about 160 miles (260 km) north of Albuquerque to store irrigation water for use in dry periods. In 1954-1955

1620-555: The river, dams, irrigation and drainage channels from Velarde south to the point where the river enters the Elephant Butte Reservoir . It also includes maintenance of the river near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico . The irrigation facilities, originally built by the conservancy district, irrigate up to 89,652 acres (36,281 ha), and include 30,000 acres (12,000 ha) of Indian water rights lands. The Bureau of Reclamation operates and maintains El Vado Dam and

1665-414: The roofs of each level providing the floors and terraces for those above. The buildings at Taos originally had few windows and no standard doorways. Instead, access to rooms was through square holes in the roof that the people reached by climbing long, wooden ladders. Engelmann Spruce logs (or vigas ) supported roofs that had layers of branches, grass, mud, and plaster covering them. The architecture and

1710-455: The rumored Seven Cities of Gold . Around 1620, Spanish Jesuits oversaw construction of the first Catholic Church in the pueblo, the mission of San Geronimo de Taos . Reports from the period indicate that the native people of Taos resisted the building of the church and forceful imposition of the Catholic religion. Throughout the 1600s, cultural tensions grew between the native populations of

1755-654: The sacred Blue Lake as the most important event in its history due to the spiritual belief that the Taos people originated from the lake. It is believed that their ancestors live there, and the Pueblos themselves only ascend the mountain for ceremonial purposes. At the time of the Spaniards' initial contact, Hernando de Alvarado described the pueblo as having adobe houses built very close together and stacked five or six stories high. The homes became narrower as they rose, with

1800-556: The town and the church where the defenders were sheltering with artillery on February 3. The next day, a hole was broken in the wall of the church to fire shells and grapeshot at those seeking refuge within. More than 150 people were killed during the attack. Tomás Romero was summarily executed after US forces captured Taos Pueblo, and other leaders of the revolt were later put on trial and executed by hanging. Further battles against US forces took place until July of that year. The Pueblo's 48,000 acres (19,000 ha) of mountain land

1845-627: The training of local people to manage their own property, as well as the establishment of partnerships with government and non-government entities. The project resolves to preserve the traditional way of life in the community and sustain cultural traditions. In August 2020, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development announced a grant of $ 899,754 awarded to the Taos Pueblo Housing Authority to rehabilitate five housing units to help reduce

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1890-492: The village" ( tə̂o- "village" + -tho "in") or tə̂obo "to/toward the village" ( tə̂o- "village" + -bo "to, toward"). The proper name of the pueblo is ȉałopháymųp’ȍhə́othə̀olbo "at red willow canyon mouth" (or ȉałopháybo "at the red willows" for short). This name is more commonly used in ceremonial contexts and is less common in everyday speech. The name Taos in English was borrowed from Spanish Taos . Spanish Taos

1935-517: Was appointed as the American territorial governor. Many of the Taos Pueblo people and Hispanos feared that the new American regime would dispossess them of their land, especially since Bent had been involved in land-grant speculation schemes under the Mexican regime. On January 19, 1847, Hispanos and Taos Pueblo people launched a rebellion against the US territorial government. Tomás Romero led

1980-422: Was established in 1925 to address these problems. It ran into financial difficulties and asked the Bureau of Reclamation to help investigate the problems and rehabilitation the irrigation facilities. The Flood Control Act of 30 June 1948 approved the comprehensive plan for the project, and also directed the Bureau of Reclamation to look into methods of reducing non-beneficial use of water by phreatic vegetation in

2025-565: Was taken by President Theodore Roosevelt and designated as the Carson National Forest early in the 20th century. It was finally returned in 1970 by the United States when the Republican Richard Nixon signed Democratic senator Fred Harris ' Public Law 91-550. An additional 764 acres (309 ha) south of the ridge between Simpson Peak and Old Mike Peak and west of Blue Lake were transferred back to

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