[WASHINGTON, DC] – Congressman Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) today introduced legislation in the House of Representatives to permanently reauthorize the Rio Puerco Watershed Management Program. Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) previously introduced similar legislation in the Senate. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) is also a co-sponsor. The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources today held a hearing on the bill.

“The Rio Puerco Basin is an incredibly important watershed in northern New Mexico, flowing through portions of seven counties in our state. Unfortunately, the geology of the area includes soft sedimentary strata and volcanic rocks which makes the Rio Puerco particularly susceptible to erosion and undesirable sediment build up,” said Luján. “This bill will allow the tremendous work being done by the Rio Puerco Management Committee to manage and restore the watershed to continue.”

Luján noted that the Rio Puerco Basin is the one of the largest tributaries in the Rio Grande Basin. Positioned along the eastern edge of the Continental Divide, the watershed encompasses approximately 7,350 square miles.

In previous years, the Rio Puerco received considerable attention as a severely impacted watershed, faced with accelerated erosion. Its perennial headwaters originate along the Sierra Nacimiento in Sandoval County, New Mexico. Traditional villages once dotted its banks and extensive farm fields tapped its waters. Today, in many places the Rio Puerco flows far beneath the historic floodplain, a victim of incision through highly erodible soils, channelization, entrenchment, and a complex mix of land ownership.

In 1996, the Rio Puerco Management Committee (RPMC) was established under federal law to help restore and manage the watershed. Since its inception, the RPMC has taken a collaborative approach to watershed restoration by bringing together tribes, federal and state agencies, an array of non-profits, and local citizens to address the challenges of the Rio Puerco.

The Committee has focused on reducing sediment, controlling erosion, and promoting healthy vegetative growth such as native grasses throughout the watershed. The Committee’s work includes a community-based monitoring effort to gather data on the effectiveness of the restoration projects which have showed considerable progress throughout the years, as well as projects in the watershed that reflect people's sense of stewardship, and preserve the natural beauty and traditional uses of this region.

Luján’s legislation is cosponsored by fellow New Mexican Congresswoman Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-NM).

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