NEW MEXICO (KRQE) — It’s a major problem, sucking up lots of water from the Rio Grande. Now, some water managers are asking lawmakers to get serious about ripping invasive plants from the bosque by spending millions. An “out of control bosque” is how the head of the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District (MRGCD) describes the areas around the river in central New Mexico, and he said it’s time for a generational project to take on the problem. 

Not everything green in the middle valley’s bosque is helping New Mexico’s water supply, with a newer study highlighting how the Rio Grande’s riparian species are taking just as much water as surrounding farms. In fact, they’re actually consuming a percentage point more than agriculture.

Jason Casuga, the MRGCD’s CEO and Chief Engineer, said conversations are not being had across the board regarding water conservation. “We’re not having a fair conversation about riparian depletions,” said Casuga.

He said he thinks both the bosque and farming are worth protecting. “If we’re going to have standards for depletions on urban areas, standards for depletions on reducing those across farming, then the only way to have a realistic discussion about reducing depletions, as a whole, is to include the riparian area.” 

Casuga said that invasive Salt Cedar and Russian Olive plants drive the problem of the extreme riparian water depletion, and that it’s unfair to farmers and cities to ignore what he calls a “takeover.” And that is especially when irrigators are often the first to cut back on water use. “Are we really going to ask farmers and have cultural farms on the Rio Grande go away? And leave hundreds and hundreds of acres of invasive species of Salt Cedar and Russian Olive? Is that what we’re protecting?

He stressed that he thinks if there are standards for agriculturalists and municipal entities, then there ought to be standards for invasive species as well. That feeling has Casuga pushing for a massive, coordinated invasive plant removal effort. He’s calling on lawmakers to fund a multi-million dollar investment in the project next session.   

He said not everyone is quick to get on board with proposals like this. “Right now, everyone says, ‘Hey, it’s expensive, and it’s hard, and the easy thing to do is to target ag.’ But, I pose the question back, ‘If we love the Rio Grande in the Middle Valley, and we love the heritage of ag, is it a conversation worth having?’”

He said the millions would also ideally pay for bosque upkeep and native plant restoration. But one hurdle is finding qualified contractors to take on that difficult job

A Mississippi crew is now working to clear invasives near Belen. The MRGCD said while saving water, the job also cuts wildfire risk, and makes a big difference if firefighters do need to move in. 

The MRGCD’s Bosque Management Coordinator said the next step in the Belen bosque restoration project is to plant more native grasses and bushes, which is expected to help wildlife. The methods used to eradicate the invasives protected the native plants that were already there.

“The more diverse food sources you have available for the wildlife, the different types of wildlife you have, and you’ve got a healthy food system that’s supporting multiple species throughout the year,” she said. “The species that come here in the summer to breed, and the species that come here in the winter will still have access to be able to find bugs under the ground, find any of the seeds from the species that have been seeding out, and still have access to water and then access to places where they can hide and they can have burrows and sustain themselves through multiple conditions.”

The MRGCD is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. It was founded to create the infrastructure capable of transforming the Middle Rio Grande Valley—by building and connecting more than 1,200 miles of canals and hundreds of miles of levees—to support agriculture and enable the growth of Albuquerque and surrounding communities.

Casuga said that it was a difficult endeavor then. “Tremendous amount of effort and resources were put in for that day—to set the river for essentially a hundred years that we’ve enjoyed with some problems here or there,” said Casuga.

He took a moment to think. “This might be generational work that needs to be done that sets the stage for the next hundred years.”

The MRGCD said Valencia and Sandoval counties need the most attention in removing invasive plants. While the District is still considering its exact proposal for a large removal effort, and doesn’t have a specific dollar figure on potential cost, it’s thinking of a project worth at least several million dollars.