Rebecca Dow, a house representative of New Mexico, has emphasized the need for dredging, vegetation management, replanting, and coordinated water planning to address sedimentation and erosion in the Rio Grande. The statement was made on X.
"The flow management of the Rio Grande is a disaster, causing sedimentation and erosion," said Rebecca L. Dow, New Mexico State Representative for 38th District (R). "It takes dredging, vegetation management, replanting, and coordinated water management to truly tackle sedimentation and invasives in the Rio Grande."
New Mexico is actively working to resolve a long-standing water dispute involving the Rio Grande with Texas and Colorado. According to the Associated Press, shrinking flows, depleted aquifers, and over 70% reservoir storage loss are straining the system. The settlement plan includes year-to-year water accounting, groundwater reductions, and farmland following to meet delivery obligations while sustaining agriculture. This highlights the urgency of shared management in a drying basin.
As of May 2025, New Mexico's Middle Rio Grande had accumulated a water debt of approximately 124,000 acre-feet—double the amount owed at the end of 2024. Without significant reductions in depletions, New Mexico risks violating the Rio Grande Compact and facing legal action from Texas. This situation underscores the stakes in meeting compact requirements as noted by New Mexico Water Advocates citing the State Engineer.
The "Forgotten Reach" of the Rio Grande in southern New Mexico often runs dry outside of irrigation season. Flow occurs only when water is released from upstream reservoirs. According to the World Wildlife Fund, this intermittent flow disrupts ecosystems and illustrates the challenges of managing degraded river segments under competing agricultural and environmental demands.
Dow is the Republican state representative for District 38, covering Doña Ana, Sierra, and Socorro counties. She was first elected in 2016, served until 2022, and returned in 2025 after winning reelection. An educator and CEO by profession, she has prioritized policies on education and family services during her legislative career according to the New Mexico Legislature.
