Wave Description

The Gatewave is a river surfing wave on the Animas River in Farmington, New Mexico. It is located right in town behind the Farmington Museum & Visitor Center at 3041 E Main Street. The wave officially opened in the summer of 2025 and is the first purpose-built river surf feature in the Four Corners region. More information is available on the City of Farmington Gatewave page.

This wave is a bit different than most whitewater parks because it was built as part of a replacement for an old irrigation diversion dam. The old rubble dam had to be rebuilt regularly and blocked fish passage. The new project combines the irrigation diversion, a fish ladder, and the surf wave.

picture credit Lane Ruotsala

The Farmington wave is designed to work over a wide flow range. The city says the wave forms between about 400 and 3,500 CFS. I’ve heard it can be a bit flushy, and staying moving is a key. The wave is still relatively new and its performance has continued to be fine-tuned, so we will probably learn more about the best surfing flows as people get more time on it. There is also a live camera on the Gatewave page, which is probably the best way to see what it actually looks like before making the drive.

The adjustment system is interesting. The actual structure that forms the surf wave is fixed, but an Obermeyer weir with three adjustable gates changes automatically as river flow changes to help maintain the wave. There were some adjustments made in 2025.

Helmets and PFDs are strongly recommended by the city, and ankle leashes should not be used because of the entrapment risk.

I’ve also heard that the entry is a little different than most waves as there is a bit of an angle, so it takes some time to master.