The agreement provides funding to the new mexico environment department (nmed)

This Cooperative Agreement awarded by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Regional Wetland Program Development Grants program (CFDA 66.461) provides $561,033 in funding to the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) over a period from May 30, 2024 to June 30, 2028.

The key products and services to be delivered under this grant include: mapping and classifying 21 priority spring wetland areas across a 10,000 square mile project area in northern and northeast New Mexico, collecting Level 1 data on water quality and flow rates, developing a geodatabase and technical guide for spring wetland restoration, and conducting community outreach and education on spring preservation. This project aims to prevent the loss of springs, establish a baseline for these important water resources, and increase understanding of freshwater ecosystems in the region.

Specifically, the recipient will map springs and collect sampling data at spring wetlands in northern and northeast new mexico. This project will achieve key capacity-building activities of the 2021 new mexico (NM) wetlands program plan (WPP) for a comprehensive wetlands programactivities:the activities include: 1) administration/reporting 2) review previous springs data and create geodatabase 3) quality assurance protection plan (qapp) 4) create a technical advisory committee (TAC) of wetland experts, community leaders, local governments, and tribes to learn about springs and provide information for locating and collecting level 1 springs data 5) map spring wetlands, assign functions, and collect level 1 data at 21 priority areas for springs 6) continue surface water quality information database (squid) development to accept springs data 7) create technical guide, educate through articles, a story map, surface water quality bureau (swqb) website, school presentations (in underserved communities), outreach to science groups and one or more students trained in springs data collection 8) attend/present at environmental protection agency (EPA) conferences and attend trainingssubrecipient:no subawards are included in this assistance agreement.outcomes:the anticipated deliverables include: geodatabase of springs information, technical advisory committee (TAC) meetings, quality assurance protection plan (qapp), mapped springs and ecological functions from 10,000 square mile project area, updated database and interactive datasheets for springs data, arid land springs restoration technical guide, and presentations to community groups, schools and at environmental protection agency (EPA) conferences and webinars. The expected outcomes include: mapping and classifying springs in northern new mexico, obtaining level 1 data, flow rates and water samples will prevent the loss of springs by knowing their locations for protection, and creating a baseline for these important water resources. Creating a technical guide of successful practices for protecting and restoring springs will assist in increasing spring-dependent wetlands quality and quantity by furthering the understanding of freshwater ecosystems and raising the standards by which they are managed. The intended beneficiaries include residents of the state of new mexico.