Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID NM_2024_Coyte_NMT

Water quality in the Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge: implications for aquatic life and agriculture

Institute: New Mexico
Year Established: 2024 Start Date: 2024-09-01 End Date: 2025-08-31
Total Federal Funds: $40,000 Total Non-Federal Funds: $40,000

Principal Investigators: Rachel Coyte

Project Summary: The Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico confronts water scarcity and unpredictable water quality, impacting wildlife and supplemental grain farming. The overall goal of this project is to contribute to the long-term health and resilience of the Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge by addressing critical knowledge gaps related to water quality. This project focuses on major and trace element concentrations and nutrient levels in both surface and groundwater, and relating those to agricultural and wildlife needs. Additionally, there will be temporal monitoring of water quality, ensuring sufficient data capture for effective management. Laboratory analyses, conducted at the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources, will include alkalinity, major anions and cations, and trace elements. Temporal monitoring, including the installation of conductivity data loggers, will provide insights into seasonal fluctuations crucial for proactive management strategies. This research contributes to the longterm health and resilience of the Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge.