Down Flow the Rio:How Los Alamos affects Communities Downstream the Rio Grande
Antonio Castaneda
Navajo Nation & Cochiti Pueblo
Embedded Files
“Navajo Nation Flag.” Infobase, Facts On File. American Indian History, online.infobase.com/Auth/Index?aid=18626&itemid=WE43&iid=202375. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
“Pueblo of Cochiti Flag.” Infobase, Facts On File. American Indian History, online.infobase.com/Auth/Index?aid=18626&itemid=WE43&iid=202267. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
Identity
Sharing One Skin
Sharing One Skin
In this article, Jeannette Armstrong talks about the connection between the Okanagan people and their land. Talks about our environment shapes our identity and culture. and are spiritual beliefs.She also talks about the four capacities of self: your Physical Self - existence beyond skin . Emotional Self - community and land are intersected in our own being . Intellectual Self - " Spark that Ignites " . Spiritual Self - both individual and larger self of which all things are apart.
Armstrong, Jeanette “Sharing One Skin”, The Okanagan Community 1996, The Case Against the Global Economy, San Francisco, CA: Sierra Club Books.
How Places Names Impact The Way We See Landscape
How Places Names Impact The Way We See Landscape
In this artice talks about how places names impact the way we see our natives lands, the author talk about place names and how place names and the stories behind them help us all connect to the landscape.Also how place names are shaped by personal memories, teachings, from others, and even historical events. Although, there are many locations that are named after colonizers.
Oaster, B. "Toastie' "How Place Names Impact the way we see Landscape" High Country News, 24 Jan. 2024
And Then I Went To School
And Then I Went To School
the author talks about how he grew up as a child.and when he went to boarding school and had to adbandon his traditions and follow the ""white Mans" way.He was sad but had to keep going in order to survive.\
Suina, Joe, and Joseph H. Suina, "University of New Mexico," " And then I went to School," "Rethinking Schools, 22 June 2021
History
The Cherokee/Seminole Removal Role Play
Indian Removal Act of 1830 - This act allowed the President to discuss and negotiate with the tribes for their land.This ended in the removal of almost all of the Eastern tribes to be moved to the west of the Mississippi.This was also the result of what the colonist called “Manifest Destiny” which they believed was god giving then the right to land that they find.
Genocide, Kill the Indian and Save the Man.
Assimilation/ Boarding School Era- By the start of the late 1800s, the U.S.government used assimilation as a tool to try and get rid of the Native Americans. They made boarding schools that were created to strip the child of their language, traditions.The overall goal was to “Kill the Indian, Save the Man.” R.H Pratt
Dawes Act, Land for Sale poster
The Dawes Act- The Dawes Act also known as the General Allotment act is what broke up tribal reservation lands from communal ownership to individuals owning and taking care of their own plots of land. It also states that if the individual can not show that they can take care or improve upon the land like homesteading after 25 years, then it can be purchased by non-indians. Also if a reservation had a “surplus” of land, then that land was open for homesteading by non-indians.
The Indian Reorganization Act- In 1934, the Indian Reorganization Act repealed the previous Dawes Act. Allowed the tribes on their own accord to organize and adopt the federally approved constitutions and by-laws. We see the effects of this act today with our own pueblos and how their still here today with their governments and policies.
The Indian Reorganization Act- In 1934, the Indian Reorganization Act repealed the previous Dawes Act. Allowed the tribes on their own accord to organize and adopt the federally approved constitutions and by-laws. We see the effects of this act today with our own pueblos and how their still here today with their governments and policies.
The Creation of LANL -In 1943, The U.S. was in WWII and wanted to get a head start on in the nuclear weapons program, so they hired many scientist and physicists like Robert J. Oppenheimer and Albert Einstein.
Current State of the Issue
Advances in Science = Current Issues in Tribal Communities
The issue is since the start of WW2 the research and nuclear testing that LANL has conducted and the materials used have not been properly taken care of.
With the discovery of the chromium plume contamination in the early 2000’s, has the people concerned because the contamination is not fully under control and its not known how large and spread out it is as well. “Questions remain about how wide and deep the plume extends.”
Worried that the contamination might possibly reach the groundwater that the nearby pueblos use.
We always think of it like this far off problem, but these thing are local for us. It’s never somebody else problem, it’s our problem - Dr. Jimmy Snyder
hexavalent-chromium-plume, concerned citizens
-Current State of The Issue-
“Its starts with conversation and educating yourself on the issue.”
-Dr.Jimmy Snyder
- Los Alamos National Laboratory's Chromium Plume Migrates on San Ildefonso Pueblo land.
-Sample of the groundwater shows hexavalent chromium level from 53 to 72.9 part per billion, which exceeds the groundwater standard of 50 ppb.
-Manager of the U.S DOE Environmental Los Alamos says more monitoring is needed at the location before making an exact determination of what is in the groundwater
https://searchlightnm.org/lanls-toxic-chromium-plume-migrates-to-pueblo-new-mexico-environment-department-says/
https://santafe.com/business_listing/bishops-lodge/
Bishops Lodge Wastewater problem
-Bishops Lodge proposed a wastewater permit was accepted , which now allows them to dispose of their wastewater into surface and groundwater
-This mean up to 30,000 gallons of wastewater will be disposed in two 14,700 gallon fields.
-Tesuque village residents emergency petition was denied,With growing concerns that this permit will threaten water quality downstream.
groundwater.https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/n-m-supreme-court-rules-against-protect-tesuque-in-bishops-lodge-wastewater-fight/article_80769a5b-1a00-4bc0-a690-3e7a09f4ae4e.html
Action Plan
“Eyes from the sky” - Getting to know our river
I originally had planned on leading one of the two field trips to cochiti on the Rio Grande and Santa Fe River confluence to conduct multiple water quality test with my classmates. On Wednesday, December 3rd, 2025 on our second visit we ended up flying drones around to get a view of the area above and to get used to flying and using them to record and take pictures to get qualitative data that can be used for test and research.
Informing the youth
During March, I got the chance to present my topic and ask questions to Ms. Trujillo's Class
My main goal for this project is to inform our community members but specfically the youth since they are OUR future.
Some of the Questions Asked
Do you live near the Rio Grande?
Do you know about Los Alamos and what they ?
Fig,26,Castaneda,Antonio” 13th,March 2026.
Bibliography
Potter, Chris. “LANL’S Toxic Chromium Plume Migrates to Pueblo, New Mexico Environment Department Says.” Searchlight New Mexico, 8 Dec. 2025, searchlightnm.org/lanls-toxic-chromium-plume-migrates-to-pueblo-new-mexico-environment-department-says.
Kumar, Vinod. “Water Contamination, Underutilised Funds Hit Punjab’s Rural Schemes: Panel.” The Times of India, 21 Mar. 2026, m.timesofindia.com/articleshow/129724396.cms?utm_source=chatgpt.com&utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst.
LANL Chromium Groundwater Contamination. www.env.nm.gov/hazardous-waste/chromium-groundwater-contamination.
Clara Bates cbates@sfnewmexican.com and By Clara Bates cbates@sfnewmexican.com. “Federal Official Says Further Testing Needed to Determine LANL’s Chromium Plume Migration.” Santa Fe New Mexican, 8 Dec. 2025, www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/federal-official-says-further-testing-needed-to-determine-lanls-chromium-plume-migration/article_f602ee9f-cfc7-49bc-815f-34c3d31b3852.html
Reporter, View All Posts by Los Alamos. “New Mexico Environment Department Officials to Update County Board of Utilities on LANL Chromium Plume During March 4 Work Session.” Los Alamos Reporter, 1 Mar. 2026,losalamosreporter.com/2026/02/28/new-mexico-environment-department-officials-to-update-county-board-of-utilities-on-lanl-chromium-plume-during-march-4-work-session.
LANL’s Toxic Hexavalent Chromium Plume Must Remain a Priority « Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety. nuclearactive.org/lanls-toxic-hexavalent-chromium-plume-must-remain-a-priority.
Groundwater.
https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/n-m-supreme-court-rules-against-protect-tesuque-in-bishops-lodge-wastewater-fight/article_80769a5b-1a00-4bc0-a690-3e7a09f4ae4e.html
LANL’s Toxic Hexavalent Chromium Plume Must Remain a Priority « Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety. nuclearactive.org/lanls-toxic-hexavalent-chromium-plume-must-remain-a-priority.
LANL CBE Internship/ Amigos Bravos. “Bravos! : Amigos Bravos.” Amigos Bravos, 24 Aug. 2020, www.amigosbravos.org/our-impact-on-new-mexicos-waters.
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