Water and Watershed Protection

New Mexicans enjoy iconic rivers and aquatic playgrounds at our many beautiful lakes and reservoirs. Yet, many of our precious surface waterbodies, forested watersheds, and groundwater resources are polluted or at risk of degradation due to human activity, natural disasters, extreme weather, and other threats. As we face realities of diminishing freshwater supplies in the coming decades, we are reminded that every drop counts. That means we have a responsibility to keep healthy water from becoming polluted while we double-down on efforts to clean up contaminated groundwater and impaired rivers and lakes in all corners of the State.

New Mexicans enjoy iconic rivers and aquatic playgrounds at our many beautiful lakes and reservoirs. Yet, many of our precious surface water bodies, forested watersheds, and groundwater resources are polluted or at risk of degradation due to human activity, natural disasters, extreme weather, and other threats. As we face realities of diminishing freshwater supplies in the coming decades, we are reminded that every drop counts. That means we have a responsibility to keep healthy water from becoming polluted while we double-down on efforts to clean up contaminated groundwater and impaired rivers and lakes in all corners of the State.

The priority actions set forth in this section highlight four key areas of increased focus that will ensure we are working toward access to clean water for all our communities and prevent certain sources of freshwater from becoming polluted or degraded sacrifice zones. Future generations of New Mexicans and our vibrant agricultural and outdoor recreation sectors depend on New Mexico to protect and restore water quality. As drought intensifies and new water pollutants emerge, we must simultaneously cleanup legacy waste and put strong programs in place to protect healthy watersheds and pristine aquifers through pollution prevention, forestland restoration, and fixing aging infrastructure.

Clean up contaminated groundwater sites

Protect surface water by controlling pollution through a discharge permitting program

Modernize wastewater treatment plants and storm water infrastructure

Protect and restore watersheds

Recent Highlights

C1: Watch The Kickoff of the New Mexico Uranium Mine Cleanup Program at Schmitt Decline Mine

Watch the Video

C2: New Mexico Featured in High Country News Article, “Western states step up to save their wetlands”

Read Article

C4: The New Mexico Reforestation Center (NMRC) - A Major Investment in Expanding and Accelerating Reforestation Eﬀorts Across the Southwest

By integrating seed banking, nursery operations, and large-scale planning with research, education, and outreach, NMRC aims to strengthen the reforestation pipeline and serve as a model for other regions. Committed to closing critical gaps in forest restoration, NMRC is focused on ensuring the long-term health and resilience of forested landscapes. As of 2024, the center has secured $41 million in state and federal funding to support the design, construction, and initial operations of its facility, which will be located at the JTH Forestry Research Center in Mora, NM.

C1: Clean up contaminated groundwater sites

Clean up contaminated groundwater across 15 Superfund sites, hundreds of legacy uranium mining and milling sites, federal facilities (such as Los Alamos National Lab and military institutions), hundreds of petroleum storage tank releases, and up to 200 other pollutant plumes scattered across rural and urban communities where groundwater fails to meet State water quality standards.

C1: The ROI Goal

By 2035, average federal and private sector investments in legacy uranium cleanup in New Mexico are 500% of 2023 levels; 30 non-uranium groundwater contamination sites are remediated, of which at least 50% are located in underserved or disadvantaged communities; there are zero active petroleum storage tank sites with human health risk; and all active Superfund sites are on schedule with an approved and funded remediation plan.

C1: Progress

Projects Underway

Spent

$1,783,339
Remaining

$1,419,536
Encumbered
total

Schmitt Decline Mine

Spent

$1,113,970
Remaining

$1,200,000
Planned Total

(still estimating)

Red Bluff No. 1 Mine

Spent

$3,763,720
Remaining

$4,000,000
Encumbered
total

Moe No. 4 Mine

CONTRACTOR
EA Engineering, Science, and Technology, Inc.

MILESTONES
7/1/25 - Contract Executed
7/10/25 - Kickoff
9/15/25 - Field Surveys Began

Q1 WORK COMPLETED:

Site visit and kickoff meeting
Field data surveys including radiological and radon, underground and survey drone video and LiDAR, biological, and cultural resources
Sample collection of surface and subsurface soils, groundwater and surface water
Community outreach initiation

Q2 EXPECTED WORK

Preparation of Site Assessment Report and
Reclamation Operation Plan base

CONTRACTOR
ENTACT, LLC

MILESTONES
7/1/25 - Contract Executed
7/30/25 - Kickoff
9/18/25 - Field Surveys Began

Q1 WORK COMPLETED

Site visit and kickoff meeting
LiDAR and radiological surveys

Q2 EXPECTED WORK

Biological and cultural resources surveys
Sample collection of surface and subsurface soils
Community outreach initiation
Preparation of Site Assessment Report including results of surveys and laboratory analyses

CONTRACTOR
INTERA Inc.

MILESTONES
7/1/25 - Contract Executed
7/10/25 - Kickoff
9/8/25 - Field Surveys Began

Q1 WORK COMPLETED:

Site visit and kickoff meeting
Field data surveys including topographical/ LiDAR and biological and cultural resources

Q2 EXPECTED WORK

Radiological and geophysical surveys
Geotechnical investigation
Community outreach initiation
Preparation of Site Assessment Report including results of surveys and laboratory analyses

Did you know?

There are over 348 contaminated sites in New Mexico without a responsible party.

302 neglected contaminated sites plus an unknown number of former dry cleaner sites
46 neglected abandoned uranium mine sites

View a Detailed Map of Formerly Operating Uranium Mine and Mill Sites in New Mexico

Read the Uranium Mine Site Reclamation Quarterly Report for Fiscal Year 2026 Q1 (July – September 2025)

C2: Protect surface water by controlling pollution through a discharge permitting program

Develop and implement a State surface water discharge permitting program to protect watersheds and reduce the amount of pollution entering New Mexico’s rivers, lakes, streams and wetlands. New Mexico is one of three states that is not authorized by the federal government to administer the Clean Water Act discharge permitting program. Instead, New Mexico businesses and utilities rely on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency out of Dallas, TX to write and enforce these permits. In addition, given that the majority of New Mexico’s surface waters are not protected from pollution under current federal law, a state program would ensure protection of all waters of the State and the communities and ecosystems that rely on them.

C2: The ROI Goal

By 2030, NMED is implementing a State permitting program for all types of regulated discharges. By 2040, 20% fewer surface water impairments are caused by point source pollution.

C2: Progress

C2: Surface Water Permitting Timeline

Fall 2024

Formation of the Surface Water Advisory Panel (SWAP) - a committee of diverse stakeholders providing technical information and practical considerations relevant to a state-led permitting program.

Spring 2025

Senate Bill 21 passed, giving the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) the authority to take over the federal National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting program, implement and enforce a permit program for state waters not protected by federal law, and safeguard downstream and tribal waters.

Fall 2025

NMED published the Draft New Rule New Mexico Pollution Discharge Elimination System Act, at 20.6.5 NMAC, and Draft Amendments to the State Standards for Ground and Surface Water Protection Rule, at 20.6.2 NMAC, for public review and comment.

2027

Anticipated rollout of the permitting program for state surface waters.

2030

NMED is implementing a State permitting program for all types of regulated discharges

2035

20% fewer surface water impairments are caused by point source pollution.

Learn more about the Surface Water Quality State Permitting Program.

Review the draft surface water permitting rules.

View Surface Water Advisory Panel (SWAP) reports, meeting notes, and member lists.

C3: Modernize wastewater treatment plants and storm water infrastructure

Fix or replace aging municipal wastewater treatment plants and build modern stormwater infrastructure to prevent surface and groundwater pollution and address emerging contaminants, while saving communities money in the long run and protecting public health. In addition to controlling pollution and protecting water quality, these infrastructure investments will make communities more resilient to the impacts of climate change and decrease risks of loss of life and property destruction from flooding. Improved wastewater and stormwater infrastructure will also increase groundwater recharge during heavy precipitation events and create greater opportunities for water reuse.

C3: The ROI Goal

By 2040, the pollution control compliance rate at municipal wastewater treatment plants is 95%. By 2045, major stormwater management and flood prevention projects, including those that utilize green infrastructure practices, are complete or substantially underway in all cities, towns and villages.

C3: Progress

6,339

water, wastewater and solid waste projects completed/in-progress since January 1, 2019

$550.51M

disbursed for water, wastewater, and solid waste projects since January 1, 2019

C4: Protect and Restore Watersheds

Accelerate watershed restoration projects to reduce risk of catastrophic wildfires, flooding, and large-scale erosion to protect critical surface water sources. The record-breaking wildfire season of 2022 made clear the devastating impacts that wildfire can have on municipal water supply and irrigation water sources and infrastructure. New Mexico will utilize the abundant federal and new State conservation funding to invest in wildfire risk reduction in critical water source areas across the State, including mechanical thinning, responsible prescribed burning, and reforestation. The 2020 Forest Action Plan provides detailed steps to reduce the risk of high-intensity wildfires in forested watersheds that supply the bulk of our State’s surface water supplies.

C4: The ROI Goal

By 2035, New Mexico collectively restores and reduces wildfire risk on 300,000 acres annually per year in critical watersheds and water source areas, including 140,000 acres per year of treatments on State and private lands. New Mexico’s capacity to reforest burned areas increased from 300,000 seedlings per year to 5 million.

C4: Progress

C4 Acres Treated to Restore & Reduce Wildfire Risk

Baseline Data

239,975 total acres treated in 2023, including 11,642 acres on state and private lands.

2024 Data

59,445 total acres treated in 2024, including 3,469 acres on state and private lands.

NOTE: Reduction in total acres treated compared to 2023 largely attributable to significant areas of managed (beneficial) fire that occurred on the Gila National Forest.

2035

...

C4 Reforestation Seedlings Produced

Baseline Data

300,000 reforestation seedlings produced in 2023.

2024 Data

300,000 reforestation seedlings produced.

2035

...

Learn more and review a full copy of the 2020 Forest Action Plan.

Read the New Mexico Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD) 2024 Annual Report to learn more about watershed protection and restoration efforts.

View a map of New Mexico Priority Landscapes for restoration.

Immediate Next Steps

Putting The Plan Into Action

C1: Clean up contaminated
groundwater sites

C2: Protect surface water by controlling pollution through a
discharge permitting program

C3: Modernize wastewater treatment plants and storm water infrastructure

C4: Protect and restore watersheds

Legislative Funding
House Bill 2 (2025 Legislative Session) authorized the New Mexico Legislative Appropriation for FY 26 for multimedia environmental investigations, clean-up, and related tasks at various neglected uranium mining sites.

$20M Special Appropriation:

$12M

to address uranium mine sites with no responsible party and where the site is not eligible for cleanup under other state or federal programs.

$6M

for cleanup of Tucumcari Truck Terminal and the former Aerex Refinery in San Juan County.

$2M

for contract support to identify potential responsible parties and take appropriate legal action.

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C1: Clean up contaminated groundwater sites

$20M Special Appropriation:

$12M

to address uranium mine sites with no responsible party and where the site is not eligible for cleanup under other state or federal programs.

$6M

for cleanup of Tucumcari Truck Terminal and the former Aerex Refinery in San Juan County.

$2M

for contract support to identify potential responsible parties and take appropriate legal action.

C2: Protect surface water by controlling pollution through a discharge permitting program

C3: Modernize wastewater treatment plants and storm water infrastructure

C4: Protect and restore watersheds

Recent Highlights

A1: New Mexico’s Regional Water Planning Mapping Tool

This tool provides an introduction to water data which incorporates various tried-and-true data sets. It pairs population data from the Census with water data from the New Mexico Water Data Act, and overlays those with Water Use by Categories reports from both 2015 and 2020 (among other data sets).

View data & Stories

A2: NMSU Holds 70th New Mexico Annual Water Conference

New Mexico state hosted the 70th New Mexico Annual Water Conference from October 21-23, 2025 at the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum in Las Cruces, NM and online. This year’s conference theme was “Research With Impact.”

Read Conference Agenda

A3: New Mexico Supports Local Utilities with an Integrated Innovative Leak Detection Program

New Mexico’s innovative work in leak detection and water conservation featured in the September/October 2025 issue of Rocky Mountain Water (pages 14 & 15).

Read Article

A4: Nichols Dam Rehabilitation Project

Watch Video