Irrigation of Riparian Habitat Restoration Along the Rio Grande Canalization Project

The United States Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission (USIBWC) partnered with the USFWS and the Elephant Butte Irrigation District (EBID) to restore over 550 acres of riparian habitat of the Rio Grande in southern New Mexico and West Texas, and acquire water rights for irrigation. EBID designed and constructed irrigation PVC piping systems to pump water upstream. Diversion structures were installed along the ditch to divert water into restoration sites without it flowing back into the river. Overall, this project managed to facilitate the delivery of water for restoration while providing flood control for the region.