New Mexico's Polvadera Creek

Polvadera Creek, a highly diverse stream system in Northern New Mexico, is located primarily in the Santa Fe National Forest. The creek begins as a series of springs which flow north from its headwaters in the Jemez Mountains at 9,500 feet to its confluence with Cañones Creek in the Rio Grande Basin.

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Off-road vehicle usage, rangeland grazing and a loss of riparian habitat contributed to increased temperature and sedimentation which degraded water quality in New Mexico's Polvadera Creek. Water quality surveys as far back as 1996 and 1999 revealed that 14 miles of Polvadera Creek (segment NM-2116.A_011, from its headwaters to the confluence with Cañones Creek) were impaired by excess sediment and high temperatures.

To meet standards for sedimentation, the creek must comply with the narrative standard, requiring it to be free of fine sediment that would clog the natural creek bed.

To meet standards for temperature, the maximum stream temperature must be less than 23°C (73°F) at all times and cannot exceed 20°C (68°F) for longer than four hours on three consecutive days (4T3).

These impairments prevented Polvadera Creek from meeting its designated use of high quality coldwater aquatic life. As a result, the creek was added to the state's list of impaired waters for temperature in 2000 and stream bottom deposits in 1998 and 2006.

The Santa Fe National Forest, the primary cooperator, was responsible for implementing the project using $41,000 of Clean Water Act Section 319 funding.

In 2004, the New Mexico Environment Department developed a total maximum daily load (TMDL) in an effort to reverse the temperature impairment. This TMDL established the allowable thermal loading capacity of the creek that would permit it to meet and continue to meet the water quality standard for temperature and restore the creek.

Several best management practices were also implemented.

Subsequent monitoring within the project area has indicated significant water quality improvements.

Excessive sediment can clog fish gills, reducing resistance to disease, lowering growth rates and affecting fish egg and larvae development. Due to restoration efforts, sediment transport within the creek was observed to once again sufficiently protect aquatic life.

Additionally, elevated stream temperatures result in both decreases in dissolved oxygen and increased toxicity of some pollutants. Maximum stream temperatures were recorded at 20°C, once again meeting the water quality standard.