Work planned on the Chihuahueños Creek Headwaters Restoration Project

Restoration work begins soon along portions of the Chihuahueños Creek on National Forest System Lands managed by the Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) Coyote Ranger District. The work is focused primarily within the upper four miles of Chihuahueños Creek. The project aims to improve creek ecosystems and aquatic, riparian, and floodplain habitats.

Riparian restoration is a multi-step process and methods include building structures in the stream using natural materials found in the area. These structures help spread out water when flows are high, reducing erosion, creating better wildlife habitat, and increasing the creek’s water storage. The restoration will promote floodplain connectivity which will allow the creek to naturally retain water during periods of high flow and release it back into the creek when flows are low.

The restoration work will continue into summer 2025 as conditions allow. This project is in collaboration with Trout Unlimited and will be implemented by Anabranch Solutions. The project was analyzed under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) as the Northern New Mexico Riparian, Aquatic, and Wetland Restoration (NNM-RAWR) Project, which was signed by the Santa Fe, Carson and Cibola National Forests in 2021 to improve watershed health, water quality and riparian habitat in Northern New Mexico.

To learn more about the NNM-RAWR project visit the project webpage. For SFNF news and updates visit the SFNF website and social media (Facebook and X).