The Rio Grande: Water for Birds

The Rio Grande is under duress due to over allocated water, crumbling infrastructure, and outdated water management laws and guidelines. These threats to the river, people and wildlife are compounded by the adverse consequences of a changing climate that will continue to impact water supply, reservoir evaporation, influence flood control considerations, habitats, water quality, natural groundwater recharge and agricultural water demand. 

Despite the demands on the Rio Grande, there are ample opportunities for proactive and meaningful conservation activities that will ensure a healthy future for the many bird and human communities that rely on this ribbon of life. In the Middle Rio Grande of New Mexico, the native ecosystem and dependent farm communities have shown much resilience to past droughts. Any activities that improve water supply and habitat within this area only strengthen this resilience and provide longevity for the Rio Grande Native American Pueblos, the City of Albuquerque and the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. Every strategic conservation effort within this area provides additional long-term resilience. The time is ripe for innovative solutions to water shortages within the Rio Grande that benefit both people and birds. Audubon Southwest has demonstrated its ability to lead conservation efforts and transform water policy in the basin and is playing a key role in developing solutions for challenging future scenarios. 

Audubon Southwest has been working to solve Rio Grande conservation issues for more than 20 years with early efforts addressing the protection and conservation of the Rio Grande Silvery Minnow, precedent-setting environmental water rights transactions, engagement with the Middle Rio Grande Endangered Species Act Collaborative Program, and assistance with numerous restoration projects throughout the corridor. Today, Audubon is active within the Rio Grande of New Mexico on many fronts, most notably environmental water transactions, policy transformation, habitat restoration, engagement with agency conservation efforts, and education.