Lower Rio Grande secures nearly $20 million for water resilience

The projects will reduce flood damage, promote groundwater recharge, modernize aging water infrastructure, and restore habitat for native wildlife.

Source: Office of the State Engineer, Interstate Stream Commission
Image: Courtesy (Cover Image of Caballo Lake State Park Courtesy N.M. State Parks)

LAS CRUCES – The New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission Lower Rio Grande Bureau has announced nearly $20 million in funding for five projects across Doña Ana and Sierra counties.

The projects will reduce flood damage, promote groundwater recharge, modernize aging water infrastructure, and restore habitat for native wildlife.  

The funding was awarded through the Drought Resilience Efforts Initiative, a competitive grant program supported by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Projects were selected through the Foundation’s Southwestern Rivers program following a competitive request for proposals. 

Image of Mesilla River Dam

The initiative was shaped by extensive community input. In 2024, the New Mexico Water Resources Research Institute led a stakeholder process that brought together community members and organizations throughout the Lower Rio Grande Basin to identify the strategies that would deliver the greatest benefit. The funded projects span Doña Ana and Sierra counties and will be carried out by three local partners: the Doña Ana Soil and Water Conservation District, the Elephant Butte Irrigation District, and New Mexico State University. 

​​​“These investments reflect our commitment to building drought resilience in the Lower Rio Grande from the ground up,” said Lower Rio Grande Bureau Chief Ryan Serrano. “Every one of these projects was developed by local partners who understand the challenges our communities face, and that is exactly the kind of collaboration this initiative was designed to support.” 

The projects address challenges that have grown increasingly urgent across the region: recurring catastrophic flooding in West Mesa watersheds, post-fire erosion following the 2022 Black Fire, and declining water tables that threaten riparian habitat for species including the southwestern willow flycatcher, yellow-billed cuckoo and Chiricahua leopard frog. 

Funded Projects: 

West Mesa Stormwater Capture, Watershed Restoration, and Capacity Building 
Doña Ana Soil and Water Conservation District | Nearly $6.4 million 
Chamberino and La Union watersheds, Doña Ana County 
Sediment capture ponds, upper watershed vegetation restoration, and nature-based erosion control to reduce flooding, promote stormwater recharge and establish habitat corridors. 

Stormwater Management and Riparian Bird Habitat Restoration at Rincon Arroyo 
Elephant Butte Irrigation District | Nearly $4.4 million 
Rincon Arroyo, Rincon, Doña Ana County 
Ponding areas, floodplain enhancements, and drainage improvements to slow high-velocity arroyo flows, capture stormwater and create native bird habitat. 

Process-Based Stream Restoration for Drought Resilience on Lower Rio Grande Rangelands 
New Mexico State University | Nearly $4.3 million (includes $320,000 in matching funds) 
Selden Canyon and western tributaries entering Caballo Reservoir 
Rock check dams, beaver dam analogs, and precision rangeland management to trap sediment, raise water tables and restore riparian habitat damaged by the 2022 Black Fire. 

Building Watershed Resilience Through Riparian Restoration at Crane’s Landing 
Doña Ana Soil and Water Conservation District | Approximately $1 million 
Crane’s Landing, Rincon, Doña Ana County 
Restoration of five acres of functional floodplain at a former pecan orchard, including invasive species removal and native riparian planting. 

Mesilla Reach Irrigation Infrastructure Improvements for Stormwater and Habitat Management 
Elephant Butte Irrigation District | Nearly $4 million 
Mesilla Reach of the Rio Grande, Doña Ana County 
Automation and rehabilitation of the Mesilla Dam and Westside Main Canal to improve operational flexibility, stormwater response and riparian bird habitat. 

 For more information about the Drought Resilience Efforts Initiative and the Southwestern Rivers program, visit:

 www.nfwf.org/programs/southwestern-rivers

For questions about the Interstate Stream Commission’s role in the initiative, visit ​​https://www.ose.state.nm.us or contact ​​John Sloan at john.sloan@ose.nm.gov.