Cave Diving in New Mexico

[ABQdiver]

I think Jason is spot on with the comments about priority. It would be VERY interesting if all the things that are planned for the dive locale actually come to pass.

Here is the quote about the cave diving in the report;

One item frequently mentioned by those surveyed was making the cave at the source of the
Blue Hole accessible to divers certified in cave diving. Divers noted that the City of Santa
Rosa would have to build a locked gate at the cave, and to have a system of giving keys to
only qualified cave divers. However, there were also a few divers that were concerned about
the safety risks involved. Opening up the caves for diving, although a ‘need’ expressed by
some divers, does not seem to be as important a need as the nine items listed previously.
Still, providing access to the caves might attract experienced cave divers who were not part
of our survey sample. According to an article in the winter 2005 edition of
Trails and Treasures:
The National Speleological Society – Cave Diving Section (NSS-CDS), actively seeks
to explore underwater caves in New Mexico. As a matter of fact, the Santa Rosa
Speleological Survey of New Mexico and the City of Santa Rosa want to re-open
the grate at the bottom of the Blue Hole and allow experienced cave divers to
explore and map the cave system. If this sounds like something you would like to
explore, visit the NSS-CDS website at: www.nsscds.org/home.html.

Lea Lake is the largest of the Bottomless Lakes and is the only lake that swimming is allowed in. Lea Lake is about 90 feet deep. The lake is spring fed with about 2.5 million gallons of water flowing through it daily. The lake is fairly clear and is close to Roswell, NM. It could very well be part of the same aquifer system.

 

[Dive-aholic]

Any idea on what part of the lake the spring is?

 

[Doc Harry]

Hi amascuba,

I'm a native of New Mexico and used to do a lot of caving there.

There are some cave diving possibilities in New Mexico other than the Blue Hole. These would be terminal sump dives.

There is a region with hundreds (thousands?) of stream caves, almost all on private property. The caves flood during rainfall, so you don't wanna venture too deep without a solid forecast of dry weather.

Diving would entain many hours of crawling through stream tubes (as small as 2 to 3 feet in diameter) to the terminus sump. A little vertical work here and there is sometimes necessary to descend waterfalls.

Needless to say, a large amount of cow manure gets flushed into these caves (it is, afterall, ranch country). The mud & water in the sumps is nasty.

As as New Mexico caver, I can personally state that you've not lived until you've crawled over a bloated animal corpse in a stream tunnel, or dug through "cow pie" choke.

If you want to go down in New Mexico caving history, contact me and I will arrange contact with the project chairman. I'm sure we can arrange for all of the sherpas you'll need.

It goes and goes....

Harry

 

[Doc Harry]

Just thought I'd add a few images of the stream caves of New Mexico. They are waiting for you to dive the terminal sumps!

The problems is getting to the sumps!

 

[amascuba]

I don't think I would want to pull my scuba gear through some of those cracks in the ground just so that I could say that I went cave diving in new mexico, but those do look very interesting. New Mexico is just full of secrests.

 

[MNawman]

Dive Aholic, I have dived Lea lake several times. If you gear up at the campground, go into the lake and stay near the right shore by the cliff. Go out about 150 yds on the surface, then drop down. The viz is cloudy until you drop down 13 to 15 feet, then it just opens up. The water is clear and it looks like molten wax laying over everything. It's pretty cool, (for NM standards). There is a high Alkalia content, so you'll want to rinse your gear down good in the showers after. You may want to contact a local diver down there to see when is a good time to go. The spring is not always clear. The spring water comes up from a small hole on the bottom. You couldn't cave dive in there unless you were 6" tall. There may be another cave entrance, but I havn't heard. You may also contact the State Police. Their dive team used to dive there alot.

 

[MNawman]

Harry, Do you know much about Rock lake in Santa Rosa? I've been there a couple of times, but not deeper than 150'. Do you know how deep it is and if there are any caves there? Do you still live in NM? I would like to dive there again, but the last time I checked it was closed to divers.

 

[Doc Harry]

Harry, Do you know much about Rock lake in Santa Rosa? I've been there a couple of times, but not deeper than 150'. Do you know how deep it is and if there are any caves there? Do you still live in NM? I would like to dive there again, but the last time I checked it was closed to divers.

I was not a diver when I lived in New Mexico. Moved away from Albuquerque about 8 years ago - got tired of the crime, know what I mean? I still fly back a few times a year to go caving.

 

[Dive-aholic]

MNawman,

Thanks for the info. I'll check out the site sometime, probably this summer.

 

[amascuba]

Dive-aholic,

Are you talking about Rock Lake? I haven't been there myself, but I've heard from numerous people that at least one person in your group has to be a insured instructor, which I'm assuming you are? ABQdiver knows allot of the details about Rock Lake as far as who to contact and the rules of diving there. I plan on diving there sometime this summer. It should definitely be an awesome dive.