New Mexico

The Land of Enchantment is the home to some of the Southwest’s premier fisheries: the San Juan, the Upper Rio Grande, the Cimmaron, the Chama, and the Pecos rivers draw anglers from near and far. Two native species, the Rio Grande cutthroat, and the Gila trout, come in for special attention. We are partnering with diverse communities and stakeholders to protect and restore habitat for native and wild trout and make our rivers and watersheds more resilient to a changing climate. With agency partners, Indigenous and Hispanic land grant communities, and private landowners, we are restoring habitat and improving rivers and streams—work that creates family-wage jobs, produces cleaner water and recovers trout fisheries in New Mexico.

Threats & Opportunities

Drought, low flows, and degraded habitat threaten New Mexico’s wild and native trout. However, state and federal funding opens the door for habitat improvements. TU spearheaded advocacy that led to the Land of Enchantment Legacy Fund, the state’s first permanent funding source for New Mexico conservation and habitat restoration. The fund helps New Mexico restore natural fire regimes, foster healthier rivers, support regenerative agriculture, and improve outdoor recreation opportunities.

Restoring Native Rio Grande and Gila Cutthroat Trout Habitat:

Our growing team in New Mexico and Colorado’s San Luis Valley have enabled us to  put over $2 million on the ground in recent years to restore habitat for Gila and Rio Grande cutthroat trout, enhance non-native fish barriers, and reconnect tributary streams for improved spawning and rearing for our precious native trout. TU has been working in this area for decades to accomplish this goal in places like the Valle Vidal, where we have been working with multiple partners to establish a Rio Grande cutthroat stronghold in the Rio Costilla and Canadian River headwaters.

Partnering with the U.S. Forest Service:

TU is working on a wide variety of projects with the agency across the state. In Carson National Forest, for example, we’re working to restore habitat on 5.7 miles of the Rio San Antonio and Lagunitas Creeks where genetically pure Rio Grande cutthroat were recently discovered. Specifically, we’re installing log jam structures designed to address channel incision and reconnect the floodplain for drought and wildfire resilience. Additionally, at Frijoles Creek, TU is again working with Carson National Forest and the Rocky Mountain Youth Conservation Corps to replace a failing invasive species barrier that protects Rio Grande cutthroat from non-native predators. TU has also been working at Chihuahueños Creek in Santa Fe National Forest to restore habitat along four miles of creek by installing 368 low-tech restoration structures, which slow down water, reconnect the stream to its floodplain, reduce water temperatures, and create trout habitat. Collectively, these projects help hold water on the landscape longer, a critical outcome for trout in dry years. 

Restoring Wilderness Areas Impacted by Wildfires:

Impacted by the Whitewater-Baldy Wildfire of 2012, Little Turkey Creek is a Gila trout stream and tributary to Willow Creek where TU’s Gila/Rio Grande Chapter has been bringing the stream back to life with funding from New Mexico’s River Stewardship Program and help from volunteers. The ongoing restoration work aims to restore Little Turkey’s pre-fire condition through the installation of low-tech erosion control structures and planting native vegetation, all done by hand in a wilderness setting. To date, and in conjunction with students and volunteers from New Mexico State University, Western New Mexico State University, and the local TU chapter, a total of 2,637 willows have been planted along Little Turkey Creek in the Gila Wilderness to stabilize the stream banks and restore lost habitat. So far, 83 percent of the willow plantings have taken hold and the ones planted in previous years are now blossoming on their own, with new stem growth up to 2 feet long – a promising harbinger for the future. Installing around 100 rock structures also helped to reduce sediment and erosion and slow the flow of Little Turkey Creek to be more conducive to Gila trout habitat.

Protecting Vital Watersheds and Fisheries:

TU has been working to secure permanent protections for Rio Grande cutthroat habitat in tributary streams along the Pecos River. According to New Mexico Game and Fish, the upper Pecos River is the state’s second most popular trout fishery, hosting more than one million angler days per year. The watershed is currently the target of a multi-national mining company intent on developing the watershed’s mineral resources. Together with the Stop Tererro Mine Coalition, TU has organized broad community support to protect the Pecos with recreation, agriculture, water users, environmental, local government, and Tribal and Pueblo stakeholders. 

Investing in Local Communities:

Restoring streams requires investing in the communities that depend on them for everything from drinking water to tourism to agriculture. In the last decade, we have helped secure over $3 million in funding for the restoration of watersheds near Questa, Chama, Costilla, and Jemez Springs, spurring economic development and improving coldwater habitat.