Soil and water districts and State Forestry outline $26.4M Canadian River restoration and statewide fire outlook

Debbie Hughes, executive director of the New Mexico Association of Conservation Districts, and Lindsay Kwam, deputy state forester, briefed the Legislative Finance Committee on river restoration and wildfire readiness efforts across New Mexico, including a long‑running Canadian River riparian restoration and the state’s fire‑season outlook.

Hughes described more than $26.4 million in public‑sector work on the Canadian River watershed over about two decades: aerial herbicide treatment of roughly 33,000 acres of salt cedar and 44,000 acres of mesquite, mechanical mastication on about 10,000 acres, 600 acres revegetated through pole plantings, 26 miles of riparian fencing and other measures intended to reduce wildfire fuels, improve aquatic passage and restore riparian habitat. She said the work spanned seven soil‑and‑water conservation districts and combined state, federal and local matching funds.

Hughes also outlined statewide technical and capacity constraints that affect how quickly projects reach the ground. She told the committee the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) had lost dozens of staff in New Mexico and that the state association uses a longstanding technical‑service‑provider contract to hire retired NRCS and other technicians to fill gaps. She said 13 Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) projects were funded for New Mexico but that limited technical capacity can delay implementation.

Kwam presented the Forestry Division’s seasonal fire outlook and resource posture. She said drought indicators are worsening across much of the state, spring fine fuels remain available for burning, and that an earlier‑than‑normal or on‑time monsoon would be the primary mitigating factor. The division said it staffs district engines, a wildland response crew, and planned hotshot crews in two districts; the state also relies on federal aerial and ground resources through interagency agreements.

Both presenters stressed partnerships. Hughes described federal programs now requiring nonfederal matches and noted the Legacy Fund and state water‑trust grants have enabled successful local matching for federal applications. Kwam said the Forestry Division maintains master interagency agreements and participates in interstate compacts to call additional resources if needed.

Committee members asked about local impacts: the state’s capacity to do thinning projects, how emergency programs and watershed repairs are being implemented after fires and floods, and whether legacy and state funds could be used to hire technical staff. Hughes said the $9 million appropriation for soil and water districts will fund local staffing and that the association is prepared to help recruit and contract technical staff to accelerate EWP and other work.

The presenters asked the committee to prioritize funding for on‑the‑ground capacity and for monitoring; Hughes noted many successful projects include partner monitoring and urged continued funding to match federal grants and to maintain long‑term maintenance of treated areas.

The briefing ended with members and staff agreeing to coordinate follow‑up on specific local projects, monitoring outcomes and workforce needs for project delivery.