Audubon partnership with cities allows release of water into the Rio Grande
In mid-July, officials with Audubon New Mexico initiated the release of 324 million gallons of water into a 34-mile drying stretch of the Middle Rio Grande. The move augmented vital streamflow needed to sustain century old cottonwoods, wetlands, birds and wildlife in stretches of the river that are experiencing severe drying because of drought conditions.
This water transaction involved the first-ever partnership between a non-governmental organization, Audubon, and municipalities for restoring flows on the Rio Grande in New Mexico.
The flow came at a time when half of New Mexico was experiencing extreme drought and the Rio Grande faced severely dry conditions, with climatic conditions not seen since the unprecedented drought of 2003, and over 30 miles of dry river south of Albuquerque.
While western water has long been marked with conflict, the ongoing drought has ushered in a new era of cooperation, especially along lifeline rivers like the Rio Grande and Colorado, where government agencies, communities, tribes and businesses are working together to maintain flows. This project demonstrates how innovative and voluntary solutions are key to restoring rivers and protecting the ecosystems and economies they support.
“This marks a historic partnership where municipalities have joined with Audubon to help restore a vibrant ribbon of life. We are extremely grateful to work in partnership with these cities and all of the communities and institutions that advocate for the importance of healthy rivers,” Paul Tashjian, Associate Freshwater Director of Audubon New Mexico, said. “The future of our Rio Grande is greatly dependent on what we do in the next decade. An alive and flowing river keeps New Mexico beautiful, provides water for important birds such as the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher, and keeps water flowing to our urban and agricultural communities.”
To direct and maintain flow to a specific 34-mile reach of drying river channel through Isleta Pueblo, Los Lunas and Belen for an anticipated 55 days, Audubon partnered with the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the Pueblo of Isleta and the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority.
By maintaining river flows within the Isleta Pueblo reach, river restoration and conservation projects invested in by the Pueblo are supported, contributing to the overall health of Isleta’s river and Bosque habitats which are critical to the Pueblo’s cultural practices and land management values.
The Rio Grande Corridor in New Mexico is an important migratory, wintering, and nesting corridor within the arid intermountain west that supports more than 200,000 waterfowl, 18,000 greater Sandhill Cranes and tens of thousands of other water birds and shorebirds.
The Rio Grande delta above Elephant Butte Reservoir is home to the largest number of contiguous breeding territories for both the endangered Southwestern Willow Flycatcher and the threatened Yellow-billed Cuckoo in their entire range, with the Gila River in New Mexico a close second. Yet more than 80 percent of the historic wetland and riparian habitats of the corridor have been lost and more than one-third of the Rio Grande’s 465-mile length in New Mexico is subject to even more river drying annually, including reaches within the Middle Rio Grande.
This first-of-its-kind water release was made possible through the generous investments from the Bonneville Environmental Foundation http://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/A00wC82zj6U0LGRmcne4Ml?domain=b-e-f.org and The Coca-Cola Foundation.
As the state office of the national Audubon, Audubon New Mexico's mission is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth’s biological diversity.