New Mexico Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office Fish and Aquatic Conservation

Description

Amargo Creek Connectivity and Habitat Enhancement Project The Jicarilla Apache Nationâ¿¿s (Nation) project goal is â¿¿Reverse declines in quality and quantity of desert fish habitats to improve overall population status of desert fishes and other aquatic organisms, as well as increase the quality and quantity of fish habitats that support a broad natural diversity of desert fishes and other native aquatic species.⿝ Restoring connectivity to the middle reach of Amargo Creek (Lat. 36.945477° Long. -107.062862) with the main stem of the Navajo River will enhance instream habitats to support spawning, rearing, and foraging activities and further the establishment of healthy native fish populations. Limited native fish presence has been documented recently in Amargo Creek, though since a 2013 habitat project re-established the confluence into a natural channel young of year and juvenile Roundtail Chub have been documented utilizing this area every time it has been sampled. Active beaver re-introduction into the middle reaches of Amargo Creek has allowed large pool development and perennial water to the confluence with the Navajo River. To build upon these preliminary outcomes, the following objectives will be implemented: 1) restore ¾ stream miles of the natural channel morphology on Amargo Creek to allow fish passage into once occupied habitats, as well as allow the channel to function in a more natural way to sustain passage; 2) create quality instream habitats within ¾ mile stream reach, and 3) monitor seasonal movement patterns into and through the restoration. Upon completion, an approximate 50% increase in river miles would become available to these fishes and this project would be deemed the largest possible native fish repatriation area available on the Nationâ¿¿s lands.

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