Without water, Santa Fe River’s upper wetlands in peril
The wetlands located east and upriver from Cerro Gordo Road are enjoyed by residents, school groups, visitors and tours. It begins with Two-Mile Pond, mostly on city and Santa Fe National Forest land. The top of the pond and the habitat upstream to the closed watershed is in the Santa Fe Canyon Preserve.
When Two-Mile Dam was decommissioned in 1994, the permit required it to be totally removed, for the river to flow under Cerro Gordo Road and the bypass ditch along the dirt portion of Upper Canyon Road to be filled in. However, after the dam was partially removed, the city released the Public Service Company of New Mexico from the other obligations. This created Two-Mile Pond with its beauty, plant and animal life and rich wetlands.
The area flourished because the city released water when needed. This practice was formalized under Mayor David Coss. Public meetings determined the priorities for the use of the limited Living River water: Use the water for the whole city
and preserve the upper river’s wetlands. To implement these priorities, the city held a twoday retreat with citizens familiar with water ecology. The resulting plan was for two large releases of water to reach the city’s boundary and year-round flows into the upper wetlands. The remaining water would be released to flow through downtown during the summer. This was memorialized in the record of the public meetings, the Living River Ordinance and administrative regulations.
With the commitment of the Living River water, grant funds were secured by the Santa Fe Watershed Association in partnership with the Nature Conservancy to restore that portion of the river channel that had been in underground pipes since a 1904 flood had filled in the Old Stone Dam. Army Corp of Engineers, state and city building permits were issued. The restored channel was built and planted with wetlands vegetation. The city stated, “The goal of the Restoration Project is to restore portions of the natural channel of the Santa Fe River located on the preserve and the associated riparian habitat.”
The design provided for the city’s delivery of water to Acequia Cerro Gordo through the bypass ditch. The release of water for acequia deliveries was provided by ordinance to be in addition to Living River water releases to avoid conflict between the two.
The restoration channel thrived well until two summers ago when the city obstructed the restoration channel with dirt and sandbags. Water could no longer flow through the restored channel into Two-Mile Pond. The city decided that the purpose and text of the Living River Ordinance to protect the upper wetlands could be ignored. The Santa Fe River Commission, environmental groups and citizens have objected to no avail.
That is where we are today. In dry times, the wetlands habitat does not have the water to fully sustain its animal and plant life, and Two-Mile Pond becomes a stagnant breeding ground for mosquitoes.
If you are interested in joining with others to protect this habitat, contact: SantaFeLivingRiver@gmail.com.
Richard Ellenberg has lived in Santa Fe for 20 years. He has served on the city of Santa Fe’s River Commission, Canyon Neighborhood Association Board, Acequia Del Llano Commission, Old Santa Fe Association, Santa Fe Canyon Preservation Association and the Democratic Party of New Mexico and Santa Fe County.