From drinking water and cultural ceremonies to acequia farming and outdoor recreation, clean water supports all aspects of life in New Mexico. Water is a precious resource everywhere, but its importance is magnified in New Mexico’s arid climate.
Protect New Mexico Waters
New Mexico is full of
Iconic
Waters
But under a 2023 Supreme Court ruling, New Mexico’s rivers, streams, lakes, and wetlands are at risk like never before.
Watch the video and sign the petition to protect New Mexico’s waters!
WATCH HERE
Explore an interactive map showing more details about New Mexico waters under threat after the 2023 Supreme Court.
New Mexico’s robust outdoor recreation and agriculture economies rely on clean water and watersheds.
Voices for New Mexico Waters
The Threat
On November 17, 2025, the U.S. EPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers jointly announced a proposed rule that would severely limit which bodies of water are protected by the federal Clean Water Act. This new rule goes even further than what was set forth in the 2023 Sacket decision. If this rule is enacted, nearly every stream, river, and wetland in New Mexico will lose federal protection. These waters are the foundation of all life in New Mexico – they feed our acequias and farms, grow our economy, sustain tribal communities, shelter wildlife and supply drinking water to cities and rural villages.
This proposal would eliminate basic protections for any river or stream that does not flow year-round, which includes 96% of New Mexico’s waters, and 60% of waters nationwide.
Thankfully, New Mexico responded to weakening Clean Water Act protections and became a water leader by establishing a state-run clean water protection program earlier this year. Our state government is stepping up, but now is not the time for the federal government to abandon its responsibility to protect clean water. Clean water is our most important resource, and federal leaders should be strengthening protections and working with states to deliver clean water for all, not ducking their responsibilities and putting water at risk. Please, take a moment to sign our petition and tell the Agencies that the Clean Water Act needs to be strengthened, not weakened.
Sign our petition to tell the EPA to withdraw the proposed rule. Signatures will be gathered until January 5, 2026, at 5pm MST.
Spotlight on Threatened Waterways of New Mexico
Wetlands Spotlight
Wetlands serve several important functions. They help improve surface water quality by preventing erosion, stabilizing stream banks, breaking down some types of pollutants, and reducing flood damage. They recharge groundwater and are nature’s buffer zone between groundwater and surface water. In addition, they are our watershed’s natural reservoirs. Wetlands soak up spring runoff and slowly release water throughout the growing season, helping to provide consistent streamflow throughout the year.
After the 2023 Supreme Court ruling, only wetlands that have a continuous surface connection to a relatively permanent, standing, or continuously flowing body of water are now covered by the Clean Water Act. Estimates of loss of protections for New Mexico’s wetlands are dire – up to 88%.
Impacts
Indigenous and Land-Based Communities
Tribes, pueblos, and traditional land-based communities rely on freshwater for ceremonial purposes and to feed their families. The waterways that deliver this water lost protections under the 2023 Supreme Court ruling.
WATCH HERE
WATCH HERE
New Mexico’s Farming and Acequia Culture
Stream and acequia networks that support multi-generational farms make up the vast majority of waterways in New Mexico. These waterways are threatened by unregulated dumping, which would irreparably harm traditional land-based communities throughout the state.
Impacts to New Mexicans’ Drinking Water
Loss of federal protections threatens the drinking water of at least 900,000 people in New Mexico
WATCH HERE
WATCH HERE
New Mexico's outdoor recreation economy depends on clean water.
From New Mexico’s iconic Rio Grande to smaller waterways like arroyos, all of the state’s waters sustain critical economic activity.
The Solution
The State must step in to fill the regulatory gap left by the Supreme Court ruling
This ruling impacts New Mexico more than any other state in the nation. We need the state to create a state surface water permitting program to fill the gap left by this ruling and protect New Mexico’s waterways from unregulated dumping.
Take Action!
Join us to call on the legislature to provide funding for a state program to protect our waters from unregulated pollution.
Speak up for NM’s water! Share this story map with your friends and family.
Protect New Mexico Waters was created in partnership with Amigos Bravos, CCW, Single Space Strategies, and St. Mary's Geospatial
- Videography and original design were created in partnership with Amigos Bravos and CAVU.
- Protect New Mexico’s Waters is an updated version of this story map website. The first version credits can be found here
