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Audubon calls for restoring NM rivers

Staci Stevens
A new report by Audubon New Mexico calls for restoring natural flows on waterways like the Rio Chama

Audubon New Mexico released a report on the heels of a visit here by Interior Department Secretary Ken Salazar. The study argues that restoring natural streamflows will bring environmental and economic benefits.

Dams, reservoirs, and levees are all tools used to alter the natural flow of a river for crop irrigation, drinking water and industrial use. The benefits are substantial. But they also create major changes to the natural flow pattern of New Mexico’s rivers and streams.

Audubon’s report found that the Rio Grande at Embudo and also at Albuquerque are among the most vulnerable stretches of New Mexico’s rivers. What’s at stake is a loss of riparian forests, wetlands and wildlife and increased water pollution.

Those could also bring economic losses from decreased recreation value. The Outdoor Industry Foundation found that activities such as fishing, paddling and wildlife viewing are directly related to river health. And these activities support 47,000 jobs and contribute $3.8 billion dollars to New Mexico’s economy.

Among the report’s recommendations are authorizing voluntary water rights transfers to restore streamflows and integrating environmental flows into regional water planning and management. The report also highlights successful collaborative projects underway on the San Juan River and the Rio Chama.

The full report, “Hanging in the Balance: Why Our Rivers Need Water and Why We Need Healthy Rivers,” is online.

Megan has been a journalist for 25 years and worked at business weeklies in San Antonio, New Orleans and Albuquerque. She first came to KUNM as a phone volunteer on the pledge drive in 2005. That led to volunteering on Women’s Focus, Weekend Edition and the Global Music Show. She was then hired as Morning Edition host in 2015, then the All Things Considered host in 2018. Megan was hired as News Director in 2021.