PRESERVING THE RIO GRANDE ________________________
THE RESTORATION EFFORT
In recent years, residents of the Rio Grande Valley have
been facing unprecedented challenges as the river struggles to survive
the effects of human engineering. Well
intentioned efforts to control flooding and maximize water resources in
a dry region have distorted the river's natural flow. The conservation
organization, American Rivers, has even placed the Rio Grande on its list
as the seventh most endangered river in the United States. However,
rivers have an enormous capacity to rebound and efforts are underway to
restore the Rio Grande to its original habitat. A massive restoration
campaign is being coordinated by three states, the federal government,
tribal governments and several private organizations.New Mexico's Bosque or forest region is the focus of the
most extensive restoration efforts. While the Bosque encompasses
only one corridor of the Rio Grande river, it is a vast area with the largest
cottonwood forest in America.
BACKGROUND OF THE RIVER
At one time, the Rio Grande flowed in strands, with cottonwood
islands scattered throughout the river. Seasonal flooding would link
the rivulets and expand the contour of the river, bringing nutrient rich
silt to replenish surrounding farmland. The flooding would leave
oxbow lakes and Cienegas (Marshes). The flooding river would also
carry seeds for cottonwoods and other trees that are needed to provide
porous boundaries without soil erosion.At
the beginning of the 20th Century, Cedar and Olive trees were introduced
to the Rio Grande region for aesthetic purposes. These large shade
trees burgeoned and began to prevent adequate sunlight for the Cottonwoods.
The new trees also increased the salinity of the soil beyond natural levels
for Cottonwoods.The slow decline of
the Cottonwood islands accelerated dramatically in the mid 1950's when
dams and levees were built to contain flooding and channel water resources.
During the 1940's, a massive flood inundated Albuquerque and in the 1950's,
a drought devastated crops throughout the Rio Grande Region.As a result,
the federal government and several states began to confine the river banks
and channel the river to avoid flooding and to direct water for drinking
and irrigation. Now, the Santa Ana Pueblo's Rio Grande Bosque Rehabilitation
project and the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge are moving to
restore the flood plane that once existed. In this area, the river
went from a width of 1,200 feet prior to the 1950's to its present width
of 300 feet.The Rio Grande begins in
Colorado and flows through New Mexico before serving as a 1,000 mile channel
between Texas and Mexico. From Albuquerque to Texas and Mexico, the
increasing population in the Rio Grande region is contributing to the strain
on the river's water supply.
CHALLENGES
FOR THE FUTURE
There is concern that if New Mexico's flood planes are
reestablished, Texas and Mexico could be deprived of much needed water.
The Rio Grande experiences wet and dry cycles. Over the next two
decades, the river is expected to enter a dry period which could create
severe water shortages.State and federal
officials believe that protecting water supplies while restoring the river's
natural habitat is a regional goal that can be met with careful planning.For centuries, The river has enabled the settlement of
remote and otherwise arid regions of New Mexico's northern and central
regions.Along the Rio Grande, the Pueblo
people established the oldest settlements in the United States and these
communities continue to depend on the river. Residents of New Mexico
are well aware of how the river has enabled their way of life for many
generations. It is understood that a return to the river's natural
flow would ensure the continuation of this unique agricultural tradition
for years to come.Restoration
of the natural habitat is integral to the way of life along the river and
finding a comprehensive approach to preserving the Rio Grande is crucial
for the future of the entire region.