Conservation of Rivers & Water

Healthy Rivers Benefit New Mexicans

The well-being of New Mexicans, including the lives of our birds and wildlife, is dependent on the well-being of our state’s rivers.  Healthy river ecosystems reduce flood damage by putting the brakes on high flood flows, recharge the groundwater that 90% of New Mexican’s use as their primary source of drinking water, promote infiltration, release water to our rivers during low flows, clean our water supply and safeguard water quality, reduce fire risk associated with invasive species, and minimize federal intervention in state administration of water rights and supply.

Healthy, resilient rivers are New Mexico’s front-line defense against climate change impacts.  Healthy rivers supply connectivity or safe passage to fish and wildlife moving between elevations and ecological zones as they adapt to increases in temperature of land and water, and increased frequency and intensity of floods and droughts.  As temperatures rise, healthy rivers are better at absorbing heat and buffer wildlife against extreme temperatures providing a thermal refugia.   

We know that New Mexicans overwhelming care about keeping New Mexico rivers healthy.  “About 82% of New Mexicans feel it is important to protect and improve lands and waters used by wildlife and 76% feel it is important to maintain sufficient water in our lakes and rivers to support water-dependent wildlife.” (Department of Game & Fish Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy.)

Audubon has several conservation projects on New Mexico rivers: the Rio Grande, the Pecos River, the Gila River, and statewide.

Rio Grande

Audubon NM is advocating for protection, sometimes through acquisition, of critical lands along the Rio Grande. We also partner with other organizations to host volunteer restoration work days and lead bird walks or other field trips to highlight the importance of the Rio Grande and build stewards for the river.

National Conservation Area
The Ute Mountain area and the Upper Rio Grande in Taos County are proposed to be designated as a National Conservation Area with some possible wilderness area within. Audubon continues to work with the elected officials to adopt this designation and we’ve hosted letter-writing campaigns to Senator Bingaman.

Indian Hill Farms
Through LWCF funding, Audubon NM is supporting the acquisition of private lands (Indian Hill Farms) along the Rio Grande to add to Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge just north of Socorro. The overall Indian Hill Farms project offers 600 acres of prime irrigated farmland and a very significant quantity of senior water rights, and will provide excellent opportunities for the creation of wildlife habitat, including moist soils, wetlands and restored river bosque. The small stretch of Rio Grande that is contained in the refuge contains the second largest population of the federally endangered southwestern willow flycatcher on the Rio Grande River, and plans are to restore parts of Indian Hill Farms for additional flycatcher habitat.

Selden Canyon
Audubon NM is advocating for protection of lands along the Rio Grande in southern New Mexico in Selden Canyon and working with agencies to collect more bird data. This area in Dona Ana County provides the only remaining breeding territories for the endangered Southwestern Willow Flycatcher along the Rio Grande below Elephant Butte Reservoir. Other sensitive riparian avian species utilizing the canyon include the Yellow-billed Cuckoo, a candidate for federal threatened and endangered listing, and the state threatened Bell’s Vireo. Partnering with our local chapter, we have highlighted the diverse reasons this area is important (environmental, scenic, cultural, historic, recreational, broad public support, etc) and recently had 40 visitors sign up for a birding trip there. Selden Canyon also encompasses the popular birding spot of “Swan Pond.”

Outdoor Educaton Classes
Audubon NM is hosting a series of outdoor education classes with elementary schools in Las Cruces to expose these students to the Rio Grande corridor, birds and our conservation ethic. We only have funding for 2 weeks of programs here in 2009.

Rio Grande Environmental Management Program
Working with federal Congress to fully fund the authorization ($15 million) for the Rio Grande Environmental Management Program, Section 5056 of the Water Resource Development Act, for habitat restoration, applied research and monitoring along the 1900 miles of the Rio Grande and its tributaries. This funding might begin to provide the federal agencies with a system-wide and comprehensive assessment of restoration needs and costs along the Rio Grande.

Rio Grande Day at the Roundhouse March 16, 2009 (YouTube video by Nat Stone)

Pecos River

Lower Pecos
Audubon NM is working to increase protection and awareness of the “Roswell Artesian Wetlands” situated along the Pecos River and comprising about 2,000 acres of wetlands and associated uplands on the public lands managed as Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge and Bottomless Lakes State Park in Chaves County. We continue to have meetings with officials and travel to Roswell to talk with business leaders about the impact of these birding “hot spots” to the local economy. Additionally, as with the Rio Grande, Audubon NM is hosting a series of outdoor education classes with two of the elementary schools to expose these students to the local “wonders” and our conservation ethic. These Roswell wetlands encompass and sustain unique and important state wildlife and habitat. For instance, the refuge is designated as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by Audubon to highlight the area’s wetlands and lakes that serve as resting, wintering, and feeding grounds for a variety of waterfowl, including Wilson’s Phalarope, Northern Pintail, and Sandhill Cranes, and to protect the nesting pairs of Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, Least Tern, and Snowy Plover on the refuge. Advocacy for a Ramsar designation will draw attention to the value and contribution of these wetlands to the Pecos River complex, to the Chihuahuan Desert ecoregion, and to large scale ecological processes such as waterfowl migration. Audubon NM needs to cover staff time and travel costs, but would ideally hire a part-time outreach coordinator in Roswell to develop long-term relationships and programs. Ramsar Report

Upper Pecos
Audubon NM is working with the local watershed group, land trust and Audubon volunteers to do bird inventories and increase cooperation among private landowners and public agencies on management of the lands adjacent to river in Santa Fe and San Miguel County. This is in beginning stages and Audubon NM needs to cover staff costs.

Dia del Rio will be held Saturday, September 19th at the Bank of Pecos parking lot starting at 9:30 AM. There will be a barbeque and entertainment after the trash pick-up, so please come join the fun! If you would like more information (or to make a donation) please call 505-757-3600. Flyer

Gila River

Partnering with the local chapter, Audubon NM continues to monitor the public policies affecting the Gila River and joined other conservation voices in 2007 and 2008 in protecting New Mexico’s “last wild river” from damming. Protection of this river was the genesis of Audubon’s presence in New Mexico, with the Southwestern New Mexico Audubon Society forming in 1968 to fight 2 proposed dams on this river. The fight still continues today.

We helped to sponsor Gila River Day at the State Capitol and the Gila River Festival in Silver City.

Statewide

Audubon NM continues to do advocacy work for state and federal appropriations for river restoration and protection.

River Roundtables
Building on our River Roundtables (gatherings of more than 30 representatives from conservation organizations and state agencies) hosted in 2008 to discuss the future of river ecosystem restoration and land and wildlife conservation in New Mexico, Audubon NM is currently co-leading the effort to pass state legislation that would require state agencies who are part of the Water Cabinet (including the Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department, the Department of Game & Fish, the Environment Department, the State Engineer’s Office, and the Department of Agriculture) to study environmental flows of our rivers and engage all water users in the collection of scientific data on the health of our rivers. This legislation is currently being debated in the NM State Legislature as House Joint Memorial 3, sponsored by Representative Stewart. Audubon NM’s Executive Director is the lead lobbyist. Audubon NM needs to cover staff time or hire a lobbyist and more River Roundtables should be planned in the future.

River Ecosystem Restoration Initiative
The NM Environment Department’s River Ecosystem Restoration Initiative (RERI) has been very successful in bringing the benefits of river restoration to communities and native wildlife across the state with over $5 million in state funding in 2007 and 2008 dedicated to river ecosystem restoration across 27 projects and 5 river basins. Audubon NM advocated for this program and highlights the program’s success and importance. This year, through interim committees with the state legislature, we hoped to encourage lawmakers to build on this legacy and dedicate $10 million to RERI in the capital budget, but financial woes have reduced that to $2 million. Gathering the success stories of grant recipients and diverse partners might increase future funding.

Land and Water Conservation Fund
We continue to advocate for an increase in funding for the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, to aid in the protection of our nation’s most significant wildlife habitats, including New Mexico’s river corridors.

Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy
Working with our Department of Game & Fish and others, we hope to fund our State Wildlife Actions Plans, called the Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy in New Mexico, including implementation of recommended wildlife conservation measures along New Mexico’s major river basins.