Rio Grande Return

THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO EMPLOY UTILIZATION OF LOW-TECH PROCESS-BASED RESTORATION (LTPBR) IN SEVERAL SEVERELY DEGRADED STREAM SYSTEMS AND WETLAND HABITATS THROUGHOUT THE AREA ADMINISTERED BY THE BLM TAOS FIELD OFFICE. BY REMOVING NON-NATIVE AND INVASIVE SPECIES, PLANTING NATIVE RIPARIAN AND WETLAND VEGETATION, CONSTRUCTING AND REPAIRING EXCLOSURES AND WILDLIFE FENCING, IMPLEMENTING EROSION CONTROL TECHNIQUES, PROMOTING BEAVER COEXISTENCE STRATEGIES, AND BUILDING IN-STREAM STRUCTURES SUCH AS BEAVER DAM ANALOGS (BDA) AND LARGE WOODY DEBRIS STRUCTURES (LWDS), RGR WILL FACILITATE THE REESTABLISHMENT OF ECOSYSTEM FUNCTION ALONG SEVERAL MILES OF DEGRADED STREAM CHANNELS BENEFITING OVER 3000 ACRES OF WETLANDS. A ROBUST MONITORING PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE MUCH NEEDED DATA ABOUT THE WATER QUALITY, WATER REPLENISHMENT, HABITAT, AND WILDLIFE BENEFITS OF HELPING RESTORE THE ECOLOGICAL FUNCTION OF THESE WATERSHEDS, ALL OF WHICH NEEDS TO BE BETTER UNDERSTOOD, QUANTIFIED, AND INCORPORATED AS PART OF FUTURE MITIGATION EFFORTS. THIS PROJECT WILL IMPROVE NUMEROUS RIPARIAN CORRIDORS AND RESULT IN: INCREASED AQUIFER RECHARGE LANDSCAPE-SCALE REVEGETATION OF NATIVE SPECIES INCREASED SHADE AND COOLER WATER TEMPERATURES, POLLUTANT FILTRATION, STREAM BANK STABILITY, HABITAT FOR WILDLIFE AND BIRDS, INVASIVES EXOTIC SPECIES CONTROL, AND LONG-TERM STREAM HABITAT ENHANCEMENT AND SUPPORT OF COMPLEX FLUVIAL GEOMORPHIC FUNCTIONS TO INCREASE VEGETATIVE, SOIL, AND HYDROLOGIC CONDITIONS THAT SUPPORT OVERALL BIODIVERSITY AS WELL AS SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED CARBON STORAGE WITHIN VALLEY BOTTOMS. ADDITIONALLY, RIPARIAN ZONES SERVE AS IMPORTANT REFUGIA FOR EPISODIC SPECIES IN ARID ENVIRONMENTS, MEANING THE CONDITION OF RIPARIAN ECOSYSTEMS CAN HAVE FAR REACHING AND DIRECT IMPACTS ON ADJACENT UPLAND ECOSYSTEMS. VEGETATION IMPROVES AIR QUALITY AND REDUCES GREENHOUSE GASES SUCH AS CARBON DIOXIDE, NITROUS OXIDES, SULFUR DIOXIDE, CARBON MONOXIDE, AND OZONE FROM THE ATMOSPHERE. RIPARIAN INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVES WATER QUALITY BY REDUCING THE LOAD OF SEDIMENT, UNWANTED MINERALS, AND OTHER CONTAMINANTS, SLOWS THE RATE OF FLOW FROM THE CATCHMENT AREA, REDUCES EROSION OF THE SOIL BED AND REDUCES STRESS ON DOWNSTREAM WATERWAYS.THESE PROJECTS WILL PROVIDE NUMEROUS BENEFITS TO DOWNSTREAM COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING: FLOOD MITIGATION WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT FOR DRINKING, AGRICULTURE, AND OTHER PURPOSES PROTECTION OF CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, PREVENTING DAMAGE AND REDUCING MAINTENANCE COSTS BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND MAINTAINING HEALTHY ECOSYSTEMS THAT PROVIDE VARIOUS ECOSYSTEM SERVICES, SUCH AS POLLINATION, WATER PURIFICATION, AND FISH HABITAT ENHANCED RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND EDUCATION AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE BY REDUCING THE VULNERABILITY OF DOWNSTREAM COMMUNITIES TO EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS, SUCH AS HEAVY RAINFALL AND STORMS.

THE RIO GRANDE RETURN WILL RESTORE RIPARIAN HABITAT AND MEET POST-CONSTRUCTION ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS FOLLOWING RIVER MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES AT THE CORRALES RIVER MILE 199 SITE. THE PROJECT WILL REVEGETATE AREAS DISTURBED DURING CONSTRUCTION USING A COMPREHENSIVE MIX OF DORMANT POLE PLANTINGS, WILLOW STEM BUNDLES, SALVAGED PLANT MATERIALS, NATIVE SEED, AND CONTAINERIZED NATIVE PLANTS. THESE EFFORTS WILL RE-ESTABLISH NATIVE RIPARIAN WOODLAND STRUCTURE, IMPROVE WILDLIFE HABITAT, STABILIZE SOILS, AND SUPPORT WATER-QUALITY CONDITIONS WITHIN THE CORRALES BOSQUE PRESERVE. TO ENSURE SUCCESSFUL ESTABLISHMENT, THE PROJECT INCLUDES THREE YEARS OF ECOLOGICAL MONITORING BEGINNING IN 2026. MONITORING ACTIVITIES INCLUDE SURVIVAL ASSESSMENTS OF PLANTED VEGETATION, PERMANENT PHOTO-POINT DOCUMENTATION, TOPOGRAPHIC AND GEOMORPHIC CONDITION ASSESSMENTS, AND HYDROGRAPHIC MONITORING USING SIX GROUNDWATER WELLS. ANY SIGNIFICANT EROSIONAL CHANGES OR HYDROLOGIC SHIFTS WILL BE DOCUMENTED AND REPORTED PROMPTLY TO RECLAMATION. THE PROJECT ALSO INCLUDES ONGOING INVASIVE VEGETATION CONTROL TO REDUCE COMPETITION WITH NATIVE PLANTINGS AND MAINTAIN FUEL LOADS AT SAFE LEVELS. ANNUAL REPORTS WILL BE SUBMITTED EACH DECEMBER FROM 2026 TO 2030 SUMMARIZING REVEGETATION SUCCESS, GEOMORPHIC STABILITY, AND HYDROLOGIC DATA COLLECTED THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT PERIOD. EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE RESTORED RIPARIAN HABITAT, IMPROVED ECOLOGICAL FUNCTION, ENHANCED AQUATIC AND TERRESTRIAL HABITAT QUALITY, AND LONG-TERM COMPLIANCE WITH CLEAN WATER ACT SECTION 404 PERMIT CONDITIONS. BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE LOCAL WILDLIFE POPULATIONS, THE CORRALES BOSQUE PRESERVE ECOSYSTEM, AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES THAT RELY ON A HEALTHY AND STABLE RIPARIAN CORRIDOR. RGR HAS BEEN CONDUCTING RESEARCH IN THIS REACH SINCE THE MID-2000S INCLUDING MONITORING FOR VEGETATION, VEGETATION PLANTING AND HABITAT RESTORATION PROJECTS. THEY HAVE IMPORTANT HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE THAT WILL HELP WITH SUCCESSFUL VEGETATION SALVAGING. THEY ARE ALSO CURRENTLY DOING THIS VEGETATION WORK FOR THE PUEBLO OF SANDIA ON THEIR SIDE OF THE RIVER. THEY HAVE A PREVIOUS SITE JUST SOUTH OF THE PROJECT AREA THAT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL WITH THE PLANTING WHILE MOST OF THE TIME THIS ACTIVITY HAS BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL. THIS AWARD WILL BE A CONTINUATION OF WORK PERFORMED BY RGR UNDER AWARD R25AP00581.

RIO GRANDE RETURN WILL ASSIST IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF RIPARIAN AND WETLAND HABITAT WITHIN THE VALLE DE ORO NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE ("VDO").THIS PROPOSAL FOCUSES ON COMPLEMENTING EXISTING RIO GRANDE RETURN INVESTMENTS AT VDO FROM THE NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT AND THE NEW MEXICO ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT RIVER STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM.

RIPARIAN PLAYA WETLAND REVEGETATION PROJECT

THIS GRANT IS TO SUPPORT LEGAL COMPLIANCE FOR RECLAMATION PURSUANT TO THE MIDDLE RIO GRANDE (MRG) PROJECT AUTHORITY AUTHORIZED BY THE FEDERAL FLOOD CONTROL ACTS OF 1948 AND 1950 (P.L. 80-858 AND 81-516). THE FLOOD CONTROL ACTS PROVIDE THE AUTHORIZATION FOR RECLAMATION TO PURSUE RIVER MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES ON THE MIDDLE RIO GRANDE. MAINTENANCE OF THE RIO GRANDE REMAINS ESSENTIAL TO ADDRESS POTENTIAL FLOODING, FLUCTUATING RESERVOIR ELEVATIONS, UNCONTROLLED TRIBUTARY INFLOW, DYNAMIC RIVER CONDITIONS, AND CONTINUED BANK EROSION. CHANNEL MAINTENANCE AND IMPROVEMENT INCLUDES ENSURING EFFECTIVE WATER DELIVERY, REDUCING THE RISK OF FLOODING, PROVIDING BANKLINE EROSION PROTECTION, AND TRANSPORTING SEDIMENT. COMPLIANCE FOR THESE ACTIVITIES REQUIRES ENSURING VEGETATION REGROWTH AND PLANTING TO ESTABLISH HABITAT FOR ENDANGER SPECIES.THE RECIPIENT WILL:1. PROVIDE SAFETY FOR ALL PERSONNEL, PROJECT PARTNERS, CONTRACTORS, AND VISITORS DURING PROJECT ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING PROVIDING PROJECT SUPERVISION AND MANAGEMENT.2. MANAGE AND IMPLEMENT THE FOLLOWING PROJECT ACTIVITIES (ALL OCCURRING WITHIN THE BB-343 SIDE CHANNEL EXCEPT WHEN TRANSPORTING WATER FOR SALVAGED PLANT MATERIALS STORAGE CRIBS AND MOBILIZING DEMOBILIZING EQUIPMENT):