A report card for the Upper Rio Grande Basin

The Upper Rio Grande Basin is in moderate condition with an overall score of 54% (C), facing severe threats from climate change, drought, and population pressure. While municipal water supplies remain strong, annual low flows are critically low, and the river's natural hydrology is heavily altered, particularly in southern New Mexico and Texas. Scenario modeling indicates that rising temperatures and declining precipitation will further reduce water availability for agriculture and ecological flows by 2050. Proposed mitigation strategies include reducing irrigation losses, fallowing agricultural land, and reducing municipal water demand to restore environmental flows.

• The Upper Rio Grande Watershed is in moderate condition with an overall score of 54% (C). Among the four evaluated categories, Landscapes & Ecology performed the best at 61% (B-), while Water Quality & Quantity had the lowest score at 47% (C).
• Water availability varies significantly by region, with conditions worsening from north to south. The Lower Rio Grande has the worst scores for Water Quality & Quantity and Landscapes & Ecology, both receiving Ds, while the Middle Rio Grande has the best Water Quality & Quantity score of any region.
• The river's natural hydrology is severely depleted due to water management, infrastructure, and climate change. While the first 100 miles in Colorado remain close to natural flow, the spring flow at the Colorado-New Mexico border is only 16% of its level from a century ago, and the river is dry at the 'forgotten reach' near Fort Quitman, TX.
• Climate change projections for 2050, anticipating temperatures approximately 3° Celsius (5.4° Fahrenheit) warmer, indicate significant declines in key indicators. Modeling shows that increased temperatures reduce surface water available for agriculture in the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District and decrease annual low flows and inflows to Elephant Butte Reservoir.
• The Rio Grande silvery minnow is critically endangered, now absent from 90% of its historical reach and surviving only in a 150-mile stretch in Central New Mexico. Conservation efforts by the Middle Rio Grande Endangered Species Collaborative Program use temporary storage releases to maintain these habitats.
• Agricultural water security is under extreme stress due to a 'megadrought' since 2000 and ongoing aridification. In the San Luis Valley of Colorado, aquifer levels have plummeted, leading farmers to implement plans to leave cropland unplanted to manage groundwater recharge.
• Current water governance is described as inadequate for equitable distribution, with no single managing authority. Indigenous communities and tribal nations are reported to be inadequately represented in water management and planning.

APA

WWF International (2022). A report card for the Upper Rio Grande Basin. https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/2franustj1_FINAL_A_report_card_for_the_Upper_Rio_Grande_Basin.pdf?_ga=2.21635384.244914836.1677621433-534411142.1677163815

Chicago

WWF International. A report card for the Upper Rio Grande Basin. 2022. https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/2franustj1_FINAL_A_report_card_for_the_Upper_Rio_Grande_Basin.pdf?_ga=2.21635384.244914836.1677621433-534411142.1677163815.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=A report card for the Upper Rio Grande Basin |date=November 2022 |url=https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/2franustj1_FINAL_A_report_card_for_the_Upper_Rio_Grande_Basin.pdf?_ga=2.21635384.244914836.1677621433-534411142.1677163815 |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfinternational2022report, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{A report card for the Upper Rio Grande Basin}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2022}, month = nov, url = {https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/2franustj1_FINAL_A_report_card_for_the_Upper_Rio_Grande_Basin.pdf?_ga=2.21635384.244914836.1677621433-534411142.1677163815}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }