Restoring the Rio Grande with Federal Funding: New Mexico

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by: Sarah Smith

posted in: Conservation Funding

June 29, 2026

As the first in a three-part series highlighting 2026 project tours in New Mexico, Colorado, and Texas, TRCP highlights here how stakeholders led Congressional staff on a tour of project work to see firsthand how WaterSMART grants yield on-the-ground impacts to protect water supplies and fish and wildlife habitat in central New Mexico

It’s no secret that Western water supplies are under stress from long-term drought and hotter, drier weather, especially this year. At the same time, federal funding for Western water management and fish and wildlife habitat has been shrinking, creating uncertainty around the ability to address critical water challenges across the West that impact not only sportsmen and women but also millions of people in communities across the region.

The Bureau of Reclamation’s WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America’s Resources for Tomorrow) program is one of the primary federal funding sources dedicated to addressing Western water management and drought-related challenges.

Over a three-part series, we will take you on a journey through the Rio Grande Basin to explore how this funding source in particular is essential for water security and habitat improvement projects along the iconic Rio Grande. We start our journey in the heart of the river basin: central New Mexico.

Diverse Projects Throughout New Mexico

In late May, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership hosted Congressional offices for a field tour and discussion of WaterSMART-funded projects and watershed management planning documents in New Mexico’s portion of the Rio Grande River Basin. River restoration and conservation organizations, water utilities, agricultural producers, and more who receive funding from WaterSMART programs from across the state convened to present on their projects. These projects ranged from watershed restoration and planning efforts to infrastructure efficiency upgrades and agricultural modernization. The tour included a wide diversity of projects, exhibiting just how versatile this federal funding source is in offering solutions to a myriad of Western water issues.

Habitat restoration is not simply a localized environmental effort, but a basin-wide necessity with far-reaching benefits across the watershed.

The tour began at a riverside beach in Albuquerque to discuss the background of the WaterSMART program, the different funding mechanisms under the program, and the current state of the program. Throughout the day, grantees —including nonprofit organizations, an Indigenous Pueblo, acequia (community-managed irrigation canal) representatives, and more —presented on their WaterSMART-funded projects. These included projects aimed at planning for drought, reducing woody fuels in forested areas to increase wildfire resilience, and scaling up riparian restoration to improve fish and wildlife habitat and stream function.

The group visited the Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority Southside Wastewater Reclamation Plant to see a restoration project completed last fall. This project restored riparian and aquatic habitat, reconnected the river to its floodplain within a degraded reach, and improved public access through the creation of riverside trails. While visiting the project site, we saw two young men fishing from the newly restored and stabilized riverbank, an area where the public previously lacked safe access to the river or opportunities to enjoy activities such as fishing.

Partners supporting the New Mexico tour were numerous and included:

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
Audubon Southwest
World Wildlife Fund
Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District
Albuquerque-Bernalillo Water Utility Authority
Pueblo of Acoma
New Mexico Acequia Association
Chama Peak Land Alliance
Santa Fe Watershed Association

Lasting Impressions

Staff from four of New Mexico’s five U.S. Senate and House offices were present during the tour, and more than one shared that the experience gave them a deeper understanding of the WaterSMART program after seeing firsthand the range of projects it supports across the state.

The WaterSMART program has seen an approximately 70% reduction in funding between 2025 and 2026.

Attendees remarked that what resonated most was how interconnected the work across the Rio Grande Basin truly is, and how actions like fuels reduction and streambank restoration projects in the headwaters of northern New Mexico can improve the quantity and quality of water flowing to communities far downstream to the south. Indeed, investments in both infrastructure and habitat restoration throughout the watershed benefit the entire river system and all who rely on the Rio Grande, from hunters and anglers to cities to agricultural producers. Habitat restoration is not simply a localized environmental effort, but a basin-wide necessity with far-reaching benefits across the watershed.

An Invaluable Funding Source

With the Rio Grande as a backdrop, the TRCP explained to tour attendees that the WaterSMART program has seen an approximately 70% reduction in funding between 2025 and 2026 and currently faces additional cuts and program changes in the draft 2027 federal appropriations bill. Notably, the WaterSMART Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Program, which focuses on improving the health of fisheries, wildlife, and aquatic habitat, is facing total elimination.

The WaterSMART program is widely successful across the West, having funded 2,144 projects and 270 planning documents totaling over $12.1 billion – achievements that would otherwise not be attainable for states. One grantee noted that “projects like these…have incredible societal, economic, and environmental benefits, but are often outside the budgetary constraints of small and rural communities.” This is true for larger, municipal entities, too. While states often provide matching funds for accessing these dollars, the federal investment is often necessary for enabling these “big ticket” projects.

In the weeks following the tour, the Bureau of Reclamation has released a number of Notices of Funding Opportunity for various WaterSMART programs, including those that support drought response activities, watershed planning, and infrastructure efficiency upgrades. The TRCP is encouraged to see agency efforts to continue the program with previous-year funding despite the fact that future funding remains uncertain.

Although our group thankfully timed the tour perfectly to see water actually flowing through the riverbed, the Rio Grande went dry through Albuquerque just a couple of days later and is expected to remain barren until summer rains arrive. This is a stark reminder of the dire situation this river, and others throughout the Southwest, are facing. Federal investments in programs like WaterSMART can continue helping communities plan and implement actions to better manage water supplies and improve fish and wildlife habitat for current and future generations.

To learn more about the TRCP’s efforts to ensure WaterSMART receives continued funding to tackle Western water challenges, and to help support this effort, see a related Action Alert . And stay tuned for parts two and three of our Restoring the Rio Grande with Federal Funding blog series: next up, we will take you to the headwaters of the Rio Grande in Colorado, before a visit to its terminus in South Texas.

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by: Jaclyn Corbin

posted in: Conservation Funding

June 18, 2026

AZ State Budget a Win for Fisheries & Wildlife, But Highlights Future Needs for Water Protections

Bipartisan budget approved for 2027 after weeks of negotiations between state lawmakers and the Governor

After a challenging negotiation period, the Arizona State Legislature and Governor Hobbs agreed on a budget for the next fiscal year which includes some major wins for the hunting and fishing community and highlights avenues for future state investment in water and habitat conservation for fish and wildlife. Here’s a quick rundown.

Funds for Fisheries, Wildlife Crossings

One of the greatest wins in this year’s budget was the approval of $11.55 million to improve and modernize fish hatcheries throughout the state. The Arizona Game and Fish Department will use these funds to repair critical fish hatchery infrastructure and install technologies which will improve water use efficiency, prevent disease in hatchery populations, and increase fish production. The outcome of this investment will result in more healthy fish stocked in the state’s fishing ponds, streams, rivers, and lakes, bolstering rural economies and improving opportunities for Arizona anglers for generations to come.

In a separate win for wildlife connectivity, $700,000 was included in the state budget for wildlife crossing implementation and planning, which will improve habitat connectivity and increase motorist safety. Additionally, the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (DFFM) was allocated $10 million for wildfire suppression funding. This funding will also help address the need for vegetative fuels mitigation to improve forest and watershed health.

In a tight budget year, several other wins came in the form of avoiding cuts to critical departments that support natural resource protection, such as the Arizona Department of Water Resources and DFFM.

Action for Water Protection, but Room for Further Funding

Given the dire state of decreasing water levels in the Colorado River Basin, the West facing one of the lowest snowpacks on record, projected high wildfire risk this season, and ongoing drought, further financial commitment by the state to protect water supplies and fish and wildlife habitat is now more crucial than ever.

With ongoing negotiations among the seven Colorado River states, there was a notable budget win for water, with $9.5 million included to maintain the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality’s water protection programs that protect aquifers and ensure safe drinking water. Yet given the extreme drought conditions across the Basin, there is more work to be done.

A recent poll highlighted the ongoing water shortage crisis as the number-one issue of importance for Arizona voters. Despite this, several proposed budget items, such as creating a Colorado River Protection Fund (which the poll also indicated was strongly supported by voters) and funds for invasive salt cedar removal in riparian areas, which both had the potential to safeguard water and habitat resources in the state, were left out in budget negotiations.

The federal government has recently made its position clear: Addressing the effects of drought on Colorado River water supplies and Arizona’s economy must be a shared financial responsibility. Federal funding is likely available in the near term to assist Arizona water users to respond to drought, and as a path forward, Arizona should reduce its water usage and commit to durable solutions to address the Colorado River crisis in partnership with the other Basin states. Investing state dollars toward Colorado River water conservation is a viable avenue for establishing a good-faith water reduction plan while encouraging the other Basin states to do the same.

Looking Ahead

We can all celebrate the wins of this state budget cycle, but rest assured that TRCP will continue to urge decision makers to invest state resources to protect the land and waters we all depend on.

by: Dan Morgan

posted in: Conservation Funding

June 3, 2026

Hunters, Anglers, and Conservation Groups Call on Senate to Strengthen the Conservation Reserve Program in 2026 Farm Bill

Sportsmen’s and conservation groups send letter to Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee urging long-overdue funding and updates for CRP as Farm Bill negotiations advance

Today, 51 conservation and sportsmen’s organizations sent a letter to the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee expressing strong support for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) as the Committee prepares to consider a 2026 Farm Bill. Now in its 40th year, CRP is one of USDA’s flagship voluntary conservation programs and one of the most powerful tools available for creating and restoring the wildlife habitat that hunters and anglers depend on – while also delivering significant benefits for farmers, ranchers, wildlife, soil health, and water quality across the country.

The letter urges the Committee to increase resources in the Farm Bill’s conservation title to deliver meaningful investment and improvements to CRP. Despite the program’s proven success and widespread popularity among producers and landowners, CRP has been operating under short-term extensions since 2023 and has not received substantive policy updates or new resources since the 2018 Farm Bill – even as Congress made historic investments in all other major Farm Bill conservation programs.

“Habitat makes opportunity, and no USDA program creates more habitat that benefits both producers and hunters and anglers than the Conservation Reserve Program,” said Aaron Field, director of private lands conservation at the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “CRP has a long track record of supporting wildlife, improving water quality, and expanding access to quality hunting and fishing opportunities, while keeping working lands working. With a 2026 Farm Bill on the horizon, Congress has a clear opportunity to build on that record and ensure CRP has the resources it needs for its next 40 years.”

Since its inception in 1985, CRP has served as a critical part of the farm safety net, helping producers and landowners manage risk, generate on-farm income, provide forage during extreme drought, and conserve environmentally sensitive lands. For hunters and anglers, the program is equally indispensable: CRP has restored millions of acres of wildlife habitat for pheasants, quail, waterfowl, whitetail deer, and dozens of other species, improved water quality in streams and rivers that support fisheries and helped support the $1.3 trillion outdoor recreation economy.

The organizations expressed appreciation for the Committee’s bipartisan leadership on agricultural conservation and called on members to ensure CRP is not left behind as a Farm Bill moves forward. Representing tens of millions of hunters, anglers, and outdoor enthusiasts, the organizations stated their commitment to working with the Committee to strengthen CRP, so it remains a valuable and effective option for producers, landowners, and sportsmen and women for the next 40 years and beyond.

Read the letter HERE

Learn more about the Conservation Reserve Program here, and if you are a landowner interested in enrolling, find your nearest USDA Service Center here.

Learn more about Farm Bill Conservation Programs here

by: Ian Nakayama

posted in: Conservation Funding

May 22, 2026

TRCP Applauds Inclusion of Hunting and Fishing Priorities in Bipartisan House Surface Transportation Reauthorization Bill

Wildlife crossings, fish passage and habitat resilience among key hunting and fishing priorities advanced by House Committee.

Today, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee advanced the BUILD America 250 Act, a surface transportation reauthorization package that includes several provisions of significant importance to hunters and anglers.

The BUILD America 250 Act reauthorizes the highway trust fund, which governs federal funding for highways, bridges, transit, and safety programs. This package also contains a multitude of hunter and angler priorities that the nation’s leading hunting, fishing, and conservation organizations outlined in our united platform:  “Hunt and Fish Priorities for the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Bill.”

“Surface transportation reauthorization may not be the first place hunters and anglers look for conservation results, but the programs advanced in the BUILD America 250 Act deliver tangible, on-the-ground benefits – from wildlife crossings that keep big-game herds connected, to culvert replacements that open miles of streams to fish, to improving the resilience of our nation’s surface transportation infrastructure through fish and wildlife habitat restoration and nature-based solutions,” said Joel Webster, TRCP’s chief conservation officer. “We are grateful to the committee for advancing this legislation and look forward to continuing to work with Congress to ensure hunters’ and anglers’ priorities remain at the forefront as the process moves forward.”

Some of the provisions in this bill that would be most beneficial to hunters and anglers are:

The Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program, which was created in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and is reauthorized in this piece of legislation. This program helped provide funds to state departments of transportation to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and improve habitat connectivity by constructing and studying wildlife crossings. These crossings improve driver safety, sustain big-game populations, and improve wildlife connectivity. For hunters and anglers, these crossings mean healthier big-game herds, more accessible hunting grounds and fish populations that can move more freely across the landscape.

The Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program was funded at $80 million annually over fiscal year 2027-2031. This is a $10 million annual increase over the funding level in IIJA. The BUILD America 250 Act also required 75 percent of funds to be obligated on rural projects and placed a limitation of no more than 5 percent of funds to be used on non-construction activities. It also requires the Secretary of Transportation to submit to Congress an annual report on the program.

The National Culvert Removal, Replacement, and Restoration Program was created in the IIJA and is reauthorized in this piece of legislation. This program reduces flooding-related damage to public transportation infrastructure and improves habitat connectivity by removing or replacing old or poorly designed culverts that impede fish passage and are likely to fail during severe weather events. For anglers, restoring fish passage means more fish in more streams – and better access to the fishing opportunities that define the sporting traditions of communities across the country.

The National Culvert Removal, Replacement, and Restoration Program was funded at $200 million annually over fiscal year 2027-2031. This is the same funding level it received in IIJA. The BUILD America 250 Act also expanded the eligibility of projects that restore fish passage in weirs, and ensured that consortiums of state, local, and tribal government were eligible for these funds.

The Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) program was created in the IIJA and is reauthorized in this piece of legislation. This program plans for and strengthens surface transportation to be more resilient to current and future weather events, natural disasters, and extreme weather. This improves fish and wildlife habitat by utilizing nature-based solutions and habitat restoration to improve resilience. For hunters and anglers, investments in infrastructure resilience translate directly to healthier watersheds, fish and wildlife habitat, and the long-term viability of the places they depend on.

The PROTECT program had significant structural and funding changes in this legislation. The program was composed of a formula and discretionary based funding distribution model. The formula funds were distributed to all 50 states from the highway trust fund based on parameters that are determined by Congress. The discretionary funding was distributed through a competitive grant process. The BUILD America 250 Act eliminates the formula portion of PROTECT and increases the discretionary funding by $1.1 billion. While we appreciate the inclusion of the program, the $6.2 billion reduction in overall funding will limit state and local governments ability to improve the resilience of their infrastructure.

The Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund is reauthorized in this piece of legislation. The Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund was established in the Dingell-Johnson Act of 1950. It forms a foundational pillar of funding for state fish and wildlife agencies by redistributing excise taxes on fishing equipment and motorboat and small engine fuels to state agencies for fish habitat improvements, fish and boating access and boating safety.

While the reduction in overall PROTECT funding is a concern TRCP will continue to raise with lawmakers, we remain encouraged by the inclusion of the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program, the National Culvert Removal, Replacement, and Restoration Program, the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund and PROTECT.

TRCP is committed to working with Congress to strengthen these programs and advance hunter and angler priorities as the surface transportation reauthorization process moves forward.

Read the Hunt and Fish Priorities for the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Bill HERE

The TRCP is your resource for all things conservation. In our weekly Roosevelt Report, you’ll receive the latest news on emerging habitat threats, legislation and proposals on the move, public land access solutions we’re spearheading, and opportunities for hunters and anglers to take action. Sign up now.

by: Jaclyn Corbin

posted in: Conservation Funding

May 12, 2026

Colorado River Water Crisis the Number-One Concern for Arizonans

A full 94 percent of voters, across all demographics, say water security and Colorado River protection should be a state budget priority

Hunters and anglers have always understood that without water, there can be no fish and wildlife. Record-breaking drought, extreme heat and record low snowpacks across the West have pushed natural systems in the region, including in the Grand Canyon State, to the brink. Fish, wildlife, and those of us in Arizona who value them are feeling the strain.

A new statewide poll shows that members of the outdoor community aren’t the only ones concerned about the current situation, however, and highlights the mounting concerns Arizonans feel about water security. With only a few weeks until the Arizona state budget is finalized and budget negotiations for the next fiscal year continue, the poll delivers a clear message from voters to lawmakers: invest in Colorado River water security immediately.

The poll, conducted by conservative polling firm Cygnal, shows unequivocal bipartisan support for investing state funds to protect Colorado River water supplies. Perhaps most notably, 94 percent of respondents think addressing water scarcity and water supply issues for the Colorado River must be a priority in the upcoming state budget. Respondents indicated that water supply and Colorado River protection are their highest priority, above all other issues including inflation, education, immigration and border security. Other key poll findings include:

The creation of a Colorado River Protection Fund has broad support by a margin of 10-to-1 (75 percent support, just 7 percent oppose).
Water, water supply, and drought preparedness are viewed as the top environmental priority, with nearly 68 percent saying this is their chief concern. Land conservation was another top concern.
90 percent of voters indicated that state legislators should make water security and addressing water scarcity in the Colorado River a priority in the current legislative session.

“Investing in these projects could improve overall watershed health and wildlife habitat.”

State funding from a Colorado River Protection Fund could help reduce water usage across all sectors, store more water on the landscape, reduce the impacts of drought and wildfire, and pay water users for participating in risk mitigation activities that stabilize Lake Mead’s water levels over the next 1 to 3 years. In addition to compensating water users for reducing their consumption of Colorado River water, the fund would target existing water infrastructure and support new water conservation efforts at a landscape scale.

Investing in landscape-scale projects could improve overall watershed health and wildlife habitat; reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires; prevent devastating post-fire floods; and enhance natural water storage potential in high-elevation headwaters streams. This would boost the reliability of in-state water supplies and protect habitat for the state’s most sensitive fish species, like the Apache trout.

Healthy watersheds clearly matter to Arizonans. Allocating state funds to secure Arizona’s water future by investing in Colorado River infrastructure and restoration is an important step toward protecting Arizona’s natural heritage, including the wildlife and fish that sportsmen and sportswomen value.

In the face of an uncertain future, protecting the Colorado River and the waters that feed into it, in Arizona and across the West, offers the potential to preserve our outdoor heritage and safeguard the hunting and fishing economy.

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