Amigos Bravos 2022 Annual Report

Protecting Watershed Health
WE LED THE EFFORT TO GET 304
MILES OF OUTSTANDING WATERS
PROTECTED IN THE UPPER PECOS
WATERSHED
In the Summer of 2022, after 3 years of work,
we were successful at getting two Outstanding
Waters (ONRW) designations passed.
Outstanding Waters protections are
the highest form of water quality protections
under the Clean Water Act and state water
quality standards!
Amigos Bravos provided campaign leadership
and technical support for both nominations
including providing technical testimony,
conducting extensive outreach, and setting
overall strategy.
The designations are:
1. Upper Pecos Watershed Outstanding Waters
Designation: The designation includes 179
miles of streams and
rivers and 42 acres of
wetlands of the Pecos
River Watershed.
Petitioners: The New
Mexico Acequia
Association, San Miguel
County, the Village of
Pecos, the Upper Pecos
Watershed Association,
and Molino de la Isla
Organics LLC filed the
petition with the
commission,
represented by the Western Environmental
Law Center.
Support: More than 1,600 individuals,
Pueblos, local governments, acequia
associations, legislators, businesses, and
nonprofit organizations submitted letters or
passed resolutions including the New Mexico
Acequia Commission.
2. Rio Grande (from the state line down to
the Rio Pueblo), Rio Hondo (USFS boundary
upstream to headwaters), Lake Fork of the Rio
Hondo, East Fork Jemez River, San Antonio
Creek, and Redondo Creek Outstanding Waters
Designation: The designation includes more
than 125 miles of the Rio Grande, Rio Hondo,
Lake Fork, East Fork Jemez River, San Antonio
Creek, and Redondo Creek.
Petitioner: Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s
Outdoor Recreation Division, represented
by counsel from the Western Environmental
Law Center.
Support: More than
2,200 individuals,
Pueblos, local
governments, acequia
associations, land grants,
schools, neighborhood
associations, businesses,
and nonprofit
organizations submitted
letters of support or
passed resolutions
supporting the petition,
including the All Pueblo
Council of Governors.
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