The Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Operations (WFPO) Program helps units of federal, state, local and federally recognized tribal governments (project sponsors) protect and restore watersheds.
The WFPO Program provides technical and financial assistance to States, Local Governments, and Tribal Organizations to help plan and implement authorized watershed projects for the purpose of:
- Flood Prevention
- Watershed Protection
- Public Recreation
- Public Fish and Wildlife
- Agricultural Water Management
- Municipal and Industrial Water Supply
- Water Quality Management
Watershed conservation projects are planned and carried out jointly by local, state, and federal agencies with the support of community landowners and citizens in the watershed. Communities identify resource problems to be addressed, practices to be installed, and carry out major portions of a watershed plan, such as obtaining easements, rights of ways, permits and local cost-share funding. All Watershed Program projects must have a local sponsor that can act as the fiscal agent, provide project management and oversight throughout the different phases of construction, implementation, and project lifespan. A printable Fact Sheet for the WFPO Program can be found here.
The Watershed REHAB program provides assistance to local project sponsors to:
- Rehabilitate aging dams that are reaching the end of their design lives; and/or
- Build or augment existing water supplies based on current and future water supply demands.
Dams are silent protectors, located in remote locals, that protect lives and property downstream. All have a lifespan that requires consistent oversight to ensure they continue to meet state and federal design, safety, and performance criteria. NRCS Watershed REHAB Program provides local sponsors with technical and financial assistance to address concerns before they become a liability. All Watershed Program projects must have a local sponsor that can act as the fiscal agent, provide project management and oversight throughout the different phases of construction, implementation, and project lifespan. A printable Fact Sheet for the Rehab Program can be found here.
Active WFPO Projects in New Mexico
Last updated: January 17, 2025
RINCON ARROYO WATERSHED FLOOD PROTECTION PROJECT
Sponsor: Doña Ana County, New Mexico
Current Phase of the Project: Planning Phase
The Rincon Arroyo Watershed of Doña Ana and Sierra Counties, New Mexico, is currently working through the three major phases of the Watershed Operations Program as an NRCS funded watershed flood protection partnership project. Presently in the Planning Phase (which includes satisfying all NEPA requirements), the goal of the project is to provide some level of flood protection to the downstream watershed which includes the village of Rincon, as part of the Town of Hatch with a population of approximately 300 people. Additionally, the project will offer flood protection to several county and town roads, several private ranch roads, two State Highways and one U.S. Interstate Highway that together support hundreds of vehicles daily. Amongst the previously mentioned critical infrastructure, the watershed flood protection project also plans to provide some level of flood protection to power lines, water lines, irrigation ditches (including acequias), a wastewater treatment plant and mitigate storm flows from the Rincon Arroyo (drainage channel).
BELEN WATERSHED FLOOD PROTECTION PROJECT
Sponsor: Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District
Current Phase of the Project: Planning Phase
USDA-NRCS and the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District are studying various options to capture and utilize stormwater in the Greater Belen area to minimize flooding impacts in Valencia County, New Mexico. In recent years, flooding events in the Belen watershed area have resulted in damage to numerous properties and local infrastructure within the area. Flooding has occurred on irrigable lands, Interstate-25, railroad right-of-way and within residential areas. The purpose of the Project is to minimize flooding impacts within the Belen watershed area in order to minimize potential damage to residents and businesses within the area, to stabilize agricultural production dependent upon irrigation waters, and to improve conservation of the soil resources damaged by erosion from flooding events. This project will identify and evaluate alternatives for minimizing impacts from flood events.
HERMIT’S PEAK AND CALF CANYON BURN SCAR PROJECT
Sponsors: New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration (DFA), Taos Soil and Water Conservation District (TSWCD), Western Mora Soil & Water Conservation District (WMSWCD), and the Tierra Y Montes Soil & Water Conservation District (TMSWCD).
Current Phase of the Project: Planning Phase
USDA NRCS is partnering with DFA, TSWCD, WMSWCD, and TMSWCD to develop a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement to address several resource concerns (e.g. flooding, erosion, water quality, agricultural water management, etc.) within each of the drainage basins containing the burn scar. The burn scar encompasses approximately 350,000 acres. However, the project area being analyzed also includes the drainage basins, totaling approximately 1.6 million acres. The study area is located in Guadalupe, San Miguel, Mora, Colfax, Taos, Rio Arriba, and Santa Fe Counties, New Mexico.
Active REHAB Projects in New Mexico
Last updated: January 17, 2025
SANTA CRUZ RIVER WATERSHED – SITE (DAM) 1
Sponsor: Santa Fe-Pojoaque SWCD, New Mexico
Current Phase of the Project: Design Phase
Site 1 in the Santa Cruz River Watershed of Rio Arriba and Santa Fe Counties, New Mexico, is currently working through the three major phases of the Watershed Rehabilitation Program as an NRCS funded watershed rehabilitation partnership project. The FONSI and Final Watershed Plan-Environmental Assessment accessible via the link below represent major accomplishments in the Planning Phase (which includes satisfying all NEPA requirements). This dam provides protection against flooding to over 1000 New Mexicans who live and work downstream. Additionally, it protects 4 county roads, several private ranch roads, two State Highways and one U.S. Highway that together support hundreds of vehicles daily. Amongst the previously mentioned critical infrastructure, the dam also protects power lines, water lines, irrigation ditches (acequias) and several drainage channels (arroyos). Annually the rehabilitation project is expected to provide approximately $57,000 of flood damage reduction benefits.
TORTUGAS ARROYO WATERSHED – SITE (DAM) 1
Sponsor: Elephant Butte Irrigation District, New Mexico
Current Phase of the Project: Planning Phase
Site 1 in the Tortugas Arroyos Watershed of Doña Ana County, New Mexico, will be included in an NRCS funded watershed rehabilitation partnership project. Currently starting the planning/NEPA phase, the dam provides protection against flooding to about 2,200 acres of irrigated cropland and New Mexico State University – Main Campus, with a student population of approximately 14,000 and another 1000 who live, study and work downstream. Additionally, the dam protects two interstate highways, that support travel for many vehicles daily. Among other critical infrastructure, the dam also protects power lines, water lines, fiber optic cables and the railroad. Annually the rehabilitation project is expected to provide approximately $80,000 of flood damage reduction benefits.
UPPER RIO PENASCO WATERSHED – SITES (DAMS) 1, 2, & 3A
Sponsor: Otero Soil and Water Conservation District
Current Phase of the Project: Planning Phase
The Upper Rio Penasco Sites 1, 2, and 3A each include earthen dams constructed between 1959 and 1960 named Bear Creek Dam, Curtis Canyon Dam, and Graveyard Canyon Dam, respectively. Located in Otero County, New Mexico, the original purpose of the three dams was to provide flood protection for the Upper Penasco Watershed. The original project, of which the dams were a component, was needed to reduce floodwater damage, sediment damage, and erosion damage. The structures were designed as dry dams and do not permanently hold water. The dams were originally classified as low hazard potential; however, because of downstream development, the dams have been reclassified as high hazard potential. In 2023, NRCS completed rehabilitation assessments for each of the three Sites. The assessment for each site concluded that the dams do not meet the flood protection objective and are not in compliance with either Federal or State dam safety standards for high hazard potential dams.
The purpose of the Upper Rio Penasco Sites 1, 2, and 3A Supplemental Watershed Plan and Environmental Assessment is to address dam safety and performance deficiencies for each dam to maintain flood protection and reduction in sediment deposition for downstream residents, agricultural lands, and civil infrastructure.
Contact: Merceidez Fabok at merceidez.fabok@usda.gov.
WFPO Resources
Watershed and Flood Prevention Act
Program governance - Public Law 83-566
Success Stories
Discover the incredible work WFPO performs across the nation
National Water Management Center
Bringing the landscape together: Local community goals and watershed scale planning solutions. The National Water Management Center (NWMC), located in Little Rock, Arkansas, serves as a focal point for water resources information exchange.
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How to Get Assistance
Do you farm or ranch and want to make improvements to the land that you own or lease?
Natural Resources Conservation Service offers technical and financial assistance to help farmers, ranchers and forest landowners.
To get started with NRCS, we recommend you stop by your local NRCS field office. We’ll discuss your vision for your land.
NRCS provides landowners with free technical assistance, or advice, for their land. Common technical assistance includes: resource assessment, practice design and resource monitoring. Your conservation planner will help you determine if financial assistance is right for you.
We’ll walk you through the application process. To get started on applying for financial assistance, we’ll work with you:
- To fill out an AD 1026, which ensures a conservation plan is in place before lands with highly erodible soils are farmed. It also ensures that identified wetland areas are protected.
- To meet other eligibility certifications.
Once complete, we’ll work with you on the application, or CPA 1200.
Applications for most programs are accepted on a continuous basis, but they’re considered for funding in different ranking periods. Be sure to ask your local NRCS district conservationist about the deadline for the ranking period to ensure you turn in your application in time.
As part of the application process, we’ll check to see if you are eligible. To do this, you’ll need to bring:
- An official tax ID (Social Security number or an employer ID)
- A property deed or lease agreement to show you have control of the property; and
- A farm number.
If you don’t have a farm number, you can get one from USDA’s Farm Service Agency. Typically, the local FSA office is located in the same building as the local NRCS office. You only need a farm number if you’re interested in financial assistance.
NRCS will take a look at the applications and rank them according to local resource concerns, the amount of conservation benefits the work will provide and the needs of applicants. View Application Ranking Dates by State.
If you’re selected, you can choose whether to sign the contract for the work to be done.
Once you sign the contract, you’ll be provided standards and specifications for completing the practice or practices, and then you will have a specified amount of time to implement. Once the work is implemented and inspected, you’ll be paid the rate of compensation for the work if it meets NRCS standards and specifications.