East Fork of the Jemez River. New Mexico’s Rio Grande and its tributaries supply water to more than half of New Mexico’s population. But frequent, high-severity wildfires and subsequent post-fire flooding increasingly threaten the Rio Grande’s water

East Fork of the Jemez River, New Mexico. New Mexico’s Rio Grande and its tributaries supply water to more than half of New Mexico’s population. But frequent, high-severity wildfires and subsequent post-fire flooding increasingly threaten the Rio Grande’s water security and cause extensive soil erosion and debris flows that degrade water quality for communities downstream. The Rio Grande Water Fund is engaging private and public partners in protecting vital watersheds in northern New Mexico. The Fund will generate sustainable funding for a 10-30 year program of large-scale forest and watershed restoration treatments—including thinning overgrown forests, restoring streams and rehabilitating areas that flood after wildfires.