Water Resiliency
Water Source
In addition to our groundwater, the City relies on two sources of surface water: the Santa Fe River (which mostly depends on melting snow from the Sangre de Cristo Mountains) and the San Juan-Chama Project (which diverts water from the Rio Grande River to the City). The San Juan-Chama Return Flow Pipeline is a proposed 17-mile pipeline that will return reclaimed, treated water collected in the City sewer system back to the Rio Grande to be redistributed to the City. This project will allow the City to stretch our San Juan-Chama water allocation two to three times further than we do currently, allowing groundwater to recharge and increasing resiliency to drought and wildfires. This project will also help Santa Fe to meet growing demand for water in the future.
To learn more, see the City of Santa Fe Water Storymap here.
Water Resiliency
Planning for the Future
The City of Santa Fe is committed to protecting and conserving water resources for the future. The City and County have initiated a joint science-based and community-informed process to create water resource management plans that in the case of the City will extend out as far as 2100. Planning efforts will be complete by the end of 2026 and will be evaluated, refined and repeated every 10 years. This long term water resources planning effort is in addition to its complementary but more near-term 5-Year Water Conservation and Drought Management Plan.
Timeline for the 5-Year Water Conservation and Drought Management Plan
Water Conservation
City Water Bank
Since 2010, the City Water Bank has directly connected new development projects with available water supply. When new buildings are constructed, there is typically an increase in water demand. The Water Bank requires developers to offset any new demand on the water utility system, which helps the City to maintain sufficient water rights and capacity to meet the increased demand. Considering water resources as our City grows is crucial to developing in a more sustainable way.
Leading by Example: Community Education
For more than 20 years, the City of Santa Fe Water Conservation Office has advocated for water conservation methods and education, conducting extensive outreach to residents. The Passport Program works with students in 4th, 5th, and 6th grade, as well as high school mentors, to educate youth about recycling and stormwater management. During the annual Water Fiesta at the City’s Convention Center, around 700 local 4th graders rotate through short presentations on diverse water topics ranging from treatment processes to native amphibians. In addition, the Water Conservation Office conducts tours of water infrastructure facilities, including the treatment plant, reservoirs, and watershed, to students and interested community members.
Green Stormwater Management
Stormwater Infiltration
Santa Fe receives most of its rainfall during intense and infrequent precipitation events, which can cause water to move quickly across impervious surfaces such as concrete or asphalt. When it rains, stormwater travels across these surfaces collecting trash and pollutants before entering our waterways and the increased velocity of flows causes severe erosion.
Per recommendations outlined in the 2019 Stormwater Management Strategic Plan, the City has installed several stormwater infiltration sites that encourage stormwater to slow, spread and sink as it moves across the landscape. The City designs projects that allow water to absorb into the ground as close to the source as possible. These sites infiltrate and treat two million gallons of stormwater per year and provide many other benefits, including: erosion control, wildlife habitat, pollution reduction, shade, and natural beauty.
Stormwater Management
Rain Gardens
Rain gardens are a great tool for capturing and filtering stormwater. They allow water to slowly infiltrate into the ground, keeping pollutants out of the Santa Fe River. Rain gardens also help us recharge Santa Fe's shallow aquifers. The City and its partners, including the Santa Fe Watershed Association and Keep Santa Fe Beautiful, have built over 20 rain gardens since 2012. You may have parked near one at Herb Martinez Park or walked past our newest rain garden on East Alameda without noticing, but these gardens are capturing and treating approximately two million gallons per year.