Jan. 8—Two projects designed to reduce wildfire and flood risk in New Mexico are getting an infusion of federal dollars.
The New Mexico Acequia Association and the Acequia del Llano will receive close to $2 million to restore the riparian ecosystem and reconnect floodplains around the Santa Cruz River and install structures to reduce the force of floodwaters in the upland watershed. According to a news release from U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich’s office announcing the funding, it “will restore resilient ecologic function supported by traditional farming practices to the middle reach of Santa Cruz River.”
And the Chama Peak Land Alliance will get $5 million for its work to reduce fire risk around watersheds that serve Santa Fe, Albuquerque and several tribal communities. The project proposes to thin around 3,500 acres of forest in the San Juan-Rio Chama region with the partnership of the Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Water Authority.
The funding is part of more than $40 million for water resources projects across 11 states. The grant to the Chama Peak Land Alliance is the largest of the listed projects.