Cimarron River Phase 2
Project Objectives:
1.) Enhance existing pools and establish new pools in geomorphically appropriate locations as needed to achieve 1.5 ft minimum residual depth at low flow.
2.) Establish a low flow channel as needed through channel shaping to increase connectivity with pools at low flows. Increase sinuosity of the low flow channel where possible.
3.) Decrease river channel width to depth ratios.
4.) Increase and diversify instream trout and cold-water aquatic habitat by strategically installing rock and woody debris habitat structures in sections of the river where habitat is lacking.
5.) Improve angler experience by improving access, opportunity, fishability, fish habitat, and instream habitat structures. Improve access for the non-fishing public for walking, river access, and other recreational activities.
6.) Maintain or improve the natural look and aesthetics of the river and the immediate area.
7.) Improve riparian vegetation where necessary for bank stability, shade, the aquatic food chain,and river aesthetics
In August of 2022, the Cimarron Watershed Alliance submitted a grant proposal to the FY2023 River Stewardship Program RFP # 20-66700-22-27675, which is administered by the NM Environment Department (NMED). The project proposal was selected as a Finalist by NMED, and the CWA was awarded a contract in the Spring of 2023.
The "Restoration of Trout Habitat on the Cimarron River, Phase II” project is an instream trout habitat restoration project located on the Cimarron River where it travels through the Cimarron Canyon State Park on the Colin Neblett Wildlife Management Area (WMA), a New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF) property. The project will improve instream trout habitat, particularly low flow and overwintering habitat, for resident brown trout and create holding areas for stocked rainbow trout on up to 6.75 miles of the Cimarron River through the State Park and the WMA. This Phase II project builds upon the initial Restoration of Trout Habitat on the Cimarron River project that was funded under the River Stewardship Program and has informally become referred to as “Phase I".
Numerous planning documents and monitoring efforts have identified low instream flows in the Cimarron River as a major issue that is affecting trout habitat, fishery quality, fish density, and instream summer temperatures. Instream flows through the upper 4 miles of the Project Area are supplied almost exclusively by regulated water releases from Eagle Nest Dam, with Tolby Creek providing a very small amount of additional flow. Flow regulation by the dam results in consistently low instream interflows also high instream temperatures during low flow summer periods. Low instream flows during parts of the summer and much of the winter create very poor trout habitat conditions, which severely limit the potential of the fishery and negatively affect cold water aquatic life habitat.
The project includes $471,935.31 in State of NM River Stewardship Program funds and $70,550.00 of project match. The matching funds are being provided by the NM Dept. of Game & Fish and by TroutUnlimited. Project subcontractors include KC&MC Services of Raton and Oxbow Ecological Engineering of Flagstaff, AZ. Project partners include the NM Dept. of Game & Fish and the Enchanted Circle Chapter of Trout Unlimited. The vast majority of the project funding will stay within Colfax County and provide continued local economic benefits since the CWA and KC&MC Services are both Colfax County based entities.
The Phase II project is scheduled to begin in the spring or summer of 2023 with planning, design, permitting, and compliance work planned for 2023. Project implementation is scheduled for 2024,tentatively beginning in June and ending in November. Once completed, Phase I and Phase II will have completed trout habitat and river restoration work on the entire publicly owned portion of the Cimarron River through the Cimarron Canyon State Park on the Colin Neblett Wildlife Management Area (WMA).The total length of these two projects is about 8.5 river miles
The Cimarron Watershed Alliance, along with its subcontractors and project partners, will collaboratively implement a trout habitat restoration project along 6.75 miles of the upper Cimarron River below Eagle Nest Dam to address poor physical habitat and fishery conditions that exist primarily due to extremely low instream summer and winter flows directly below the dam, with the long term goals of improving the health and density of trout in the system as well as the overall cold water aquatic habitat of this reach.