US dedicates $60 million to saving water along the Rio Grande as flows shrink and demands grow

By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN
Associated Press

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland says the federal government will be spending $60 million on projects along the Rio Grande in southern New Mexico and West Texas to make the river more resilient in the face of climate change and growing demands. The funding announced Friday marks the first disbursement from the Inflation Reduction Act for a basin outside of the Colorado River system. One of the longest rivers in North America, the Rio Grande provides drinking water for millions of people and supplies farmers in three states and Mexico with water for crops. The projects will range from capturing more stormwater runoff to improving existing infrastructure.