Pulse of the Rio Grande

For millennia, rivers in the arid-land Southwest and the wetland and sand flat ecosystems that have developed on their edges, have depended upon the pulse of water that coincides with snowmelt runoff in spring and again during summer monsoons. Like the blood in our veins, this pulse of water in the desert means life. New Mexico’s rivers, none more so than the Rio Grande, are important corridors in the Central Flyway for migratory birds such as the colorful summer tanager, the endangered Southwestern willow flycatcher, and the Rocky Mountain population of Sandhill cranes nearly 20,000 strong. For eons birds have migrated north and south through the seasons to meet their needs for mating, nesting, feeding, and shelter.

 Alarmingly, hydrographs from key water flow stations established by the US Geological Survey show that the pulse of the Rio Grande and its major tributary, the Rio Chama in New Mexico has nearly flatlined in recent years. The Chama river begins just north of the New Mexico border in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains and flows for 130 miles to its confluence with the Rio Grande near Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo. Along its course, it flows through 24.6 miles of undeveloped Wild and Scenic River area and two major dams. The highly managed water of the Rio Chama influences not only the Chama River valley but also the Rio Grande valley with its millions of human inhabitants. Overallocation of water rights from these rivers for industry, agriculture, and even recreation along with climate change threaten the life of these rivers.

But, a new idea is taking shape to keep these rivers alive: to once again align the pulse of the water’s flow with the heartbeat of nature. In 2019, Audubon New Mexico and partners secured water rights for nature, allowing for the release of water from the dams on the Rio Chama during essential times of the year in order to keep riparian ecosystems on the Rio Chama and Rio Grande from drying completely. This practice provides the much-needed flow of life into remaining bird habitat and for endangered fish and bird species that rely on this pulse.

The practice of leasing or buying water rights for nature has been slowly taking foot in Western states. It is an idea whose time is way overdue. The example unfolding along New Mexico’s major waterways provide inspiration to others looking to restore rivers’ ecological functions and protect essential riparian bird habitat, keeping migratory flyways intact.

Published in: bioGraphic