State on pace to treat 140,000 acres annually to reduce wildfire risk and protect watersheds
SANTA FE – New Mexico has launched a public dashboard tracking the state's real-time progress toward securing its water future, showing significant advances in restoring the forests and watersheds that supply the bulk of the state's surface water.
The 50-Year Water Action Plan Implementation Dashboard provides a real-time window to monitor the state's progress addressing projected water shortages driven by drought and climate change. The plan is based on three pillars: conserving existing freshwater supplies, developing new water sources and protecting water quality.
"This dashboard is a promise to every New Mexican that we will manage this challenge with the best science available now and well into the future," said Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham.
Scientists predict that within 50 years, New Mexico will have 25% less water – a shortage of up to 750,000 acre-feet, or roughly the amount of water 1.5 million households use in a year. The New Mexico Forestry Division has worked to restore the state's forested watersheds, which supply the bulk of the state's surface water.
Post-fire stabilization projects are progressing in areas burned by the Hermit's Peak-Calf Canyon fire and South Fork and Salt fires under the Division's new post-fire restoration authority. These projects are just some of the recently highlighted key accomplishments the Division made toward its 2020 Forest Action Plan goals. With the recent groundbreaking on the New Mexico Reforestation Center, the state took a significant step toward protecting water resources by mitigating the risk of permanent forest loss.
These efforts align with Lujan Grisham's 50-Year Water Action Plan, which calls for accelerated thinning, prescribed burning and reforestation across 140,000 acres of state and private land each year to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire, flooding and large-scale erosion.
"Our forested watersheds matter to all New Mexicans," said State Forester Laura McCarthy. "It's our responsibility not only to protect them from catastrophic wildfire, but to restore them to healthy functioning to ensure a secure, stable water source for future generations."
