FAQ
What is a Watershed District?
Watershed Districts are formed for the purpose of developing and executing plans and programs relating to any phase of conservation of water or of water usage. This includes, but is not limited to, water-based recreation, flood prevention/control, and any form of erosion due to floodwater, sediment damages, etc.
What is the Upper Rio Grande Watershed District doing to mitigate these issues?
The Upper Rio Grande Watershed District is developing an improvement program to address the broader condition of the watershed which includes creating partnerships with land management agencies, identifying funding opportunities, and planning for future projects to improve flooding and erosion.Â
Also, the Upper Rio Grande Watershed District has established a Watershed Improvement and Flood Mitigation Interagency Task Force that includes Federal, State, and local partnerships to identify opportunities for collaboration to provide technical assistance and plan multi-jurisdictional projects within the District.
What are some of the issues the Upper Rio Grande Watershed District faces?
In recent years, monsoon flooding events caused property and infrastructure damages to the communities within the Upper Rio Grande Watershed District and surrounding areas. Many large arroyos cut through the the valley and drain into the Rio Grande, bisecting multiple roadways in both residential and agricultural areas.Â
These flood waters contain large amounts of sediments that damage properties and impair the water quality in the Rio Grande River. The reoccurring flooding is a threat to the historical, cultural, economic, and ecological resources of these communities.