Historical Marker
Carlsbad Irrigation Flume
Historical marker location:
US 285, Carlsbad, New Mexico
( north of Carlsbad)
The massive concrete flume in the distance carries water from the Pecos River to irrigate much of the farmland in this area. It is a vital link in an extensive irrigation system which made possible development of the region’s agricultural resources. A wooded flume constructed in 1890 washed away in 1902 and was replaced by the more substantial concrete structure in 1903.
New Mexico was the birthplace of several famous figures in American history, including the outlaw Billy the Kid, the physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, and the astronaut Harrison Schmitt, who was one of the last men to walk on the moon.