River and Watershed Section

The Santa Fe River Watershed spans over 180,000 acres (285 square miles), encompassing the Santa Fe River and all its contributing streams, arroyos, and watercourses. Within the City of Santa Fe, the watershed collects water flowing from streets, parking lots, buildings, and residential areas. Essentially, all water within this area drains into and becomes part of the interconnected river system and watershed. Recognizing the importance of this resource, the City of Santa Fe, in active partnership with Santa Fe County, is implementing a wide array of initiatives aimed at enhancing the health and functionality of the river and its broader watershed.

What is stormwater?

Stormwater is any form of precipitation, such as rainfall or snowmelt, which accumulates and flows across the landscape. Stormwater that does not soak into the ground becomes runoff, which is directed to either a piped stormwater system, open channels like arroyos and the Santa Fe River, or other surface waters such as ponds. Ultimately, all runoff in Santa Fe reaches the Santa Fe River. Our mission is to reconnect stormwater to the landscape and improve its quality before it enters the river.

What pollutes stormwater runoff?

As rain and snowmelt travels over land, rooftops, yards, driveways, parking lots, and streets, it picks up pollutants such as sediment, oils, trash, and pet waste all along the way. This stormwater runoff flows directly into our arroyos and eventually into the Santa Fe River untreated, which can significantly degrade water quality, channel stability and habitat for pollinator species and other wildlife.  

Pet waste, fertilizers, pesticides, automotive and household chemicals, debris, and trash are common pollutants found in stormwater. Sediment is another key concern as it not only increases turbidity, but it also transports contaminants that readily attach to the soil particles further degrading water quality.

How can residents or businesses prevent stormwater pollution and reduce the quantity of stormwater runoff?

While the City of Santa Fe is working to reduce pollutants flowing into our waterways, private property owners play a critical role in the success of this effort. Most property owners don’t know they are legally responsible for managing the terrain and stabilizing the soil within their property to protect against erosion and damage to any watercourses. Homeowners can receive a violation and a fine for sediment transported off their property or damage that results from a debris-clogged watercourse on their property. (13-2.4, 13-2.9, 13-2.17 SFCC 1987).

Residents

• Common household pollutants
  • Pesticides
  • Car maintenance
  • Hazardous materials
  • Pet waste
  • Green waste
  • Sediment
  • Septic tanks
• Stormwater Management At Home Guide

Businesses:

• Restaurants
• Mechanics
• Car washes
• Landscapers
• Construction

Ways to Get Involved

• Participate in a clean-up
• Adopt-the-River or Adopt-an-Arroyo
• Leading Edge River Monitoring
• Attend an event
  • River Talk Series – coming Fall 2025
• Learn about your watershed
• Report stormwater pollution
• Attend River Commission meetings
• Donate to the River Fund

Historically, communities have treated stormwater as a nuisance by designing gray (piped) infrastructure—systems of gutters, pipes, and tunnels—to divert stormwater from where we live to treatment plants or straight to local water bodies as quickly as possible. As this traditional approach to stormwater management ages, this infrastructure’s existing capacity to manage large volumes of stormwater is decreasing. To meet this challenge, many communities are installing green infrastructure systems to bolster their capacity to manage stormwater. By doing so, communities are becoming more resilient and achieving environmental, social, and economic benefits.

Green infrastructure filters and absorbs stormwater where it falls. In 2019, Congress enacted the Water Infrastructure Improvement Act, which defines green infrastructure as "range of measures that use plant or soil systems, permeable pavement or other permeable surfaces or substrates, stormwater harvest and reuse, or landscaping to store, infiltrate, or evapotranspirate stormwater and reduce flows to sewer systems or to surface waters." 

Green infrastructure elements can be woven into a community at several scales. Examples at the urban scale could include a rain barrel up against a house, a row of trees along a major city street, or greening an alleyway. Neighborhood-scale green infrastructure could include acres of open park space outside a city center, planting rain gardens, or constructing a vegetated area near a residential housing complex. For example, in the landscape or watershed scale, large open natural spaces, riparian areas, or wetlands could be protected. When green infrastructure systems are installed throughout a community, city, or across a regional watershed, they can provide cleaner air and water as well as a significant value for the community with flood protection, diverse habitats, urban heat cooling, and beautiful green spaces. This large-scale GSI is often referred to as Low Impact Development (LID), approaching land (re)development with nature in mind and managing stormwater as close to the source as possible. The River & Watershed Section partners with the City's Sustainability Department to enhance sustainable water use and build resilience to a changing climate characterized by more intense, less frequent precipitation. Green stormwater infrastructure is crucial for this effort, reducing our reliance on treated irrigation water, recharging the aquifer, and providing numerous other benefits. More information is available on the sustainability dashboard here.

Coming Soon: Santa Fe Green Stormwater Infrastructure Storymap

• At-Home Green Stormwater Infrastructure graphic
• Thinking about constructing a roadside rain garden? All rain gardens constructed within the public right-of-way need the City's approval before installation. To apply for a curb cut permit (also known as a street cut permit), find it on the Complete Streets page.

The US EPA requires all new development and redevelopment projects that disturb one or more acres of land to manage stormwater volume and quality on-site during construction  by applying for a Construction General Permit (CGP) under the NPDES program. Managing stormwater on active construction sites is also a requirement of the City under the federally issued MS4 permit, to ensure construction pollutants are prevented from traveling offsite and entering local waterways. City of Santa Fe construction standards related to stormwater can be found in the links below. Any work done within the FEMA designated floodways need additional approval from the City’s Floodplain Manager, Dee Beingessner. Find more info about this in the Floodplain Management tab.

After areas are developed, new paved surfaces such as roads, buildings, sidewalks, etc. can lead to an increase in stormwater volume and pollutants. The City’s MS4 permit requires this new stormwater volume to be managed to reduce water quality and quantity concerns with structural and non-structural best management practices (BMPs), maintenance plans, and ordinances to address the runoff volume from development. These structural BMPs may be gray infrastructure (such as detention ponds, pipes, inlets, outfalls, etc.) or green infrastructure (such as rain gardens, permeable pavement, swales, wetlands, etc.).

The City inspects and maintains public stormwater infrastructure and has prioritized installing green infrastructure to attenuate stormwater flow volumes and reduce pollutant loads that reach our waterways. Find out more about green infrastructure in the Green Stormwater Infrastructure tab above. There are also other City-owned and privately-owned stormwater infrastructure that is subject to inspections and maintenance to meet MS4 permit requirements.

Related Documents:

• City Land Use Code (Chapter 14) – Article 14-8.2 Terrain and Stormwater Management
• Best Management Practices for Construction Sites
• EPA: Does Your Construction Site Need a Stormwater Permit? A Construction Site Operator’s Guide to EPA’s Stormwater Permit Program
• EPA Stormwater Discharges from Construction Activities Information and Construction General Permit
• Incorporating Green Infrastructure into Roadway Projects in Santa Fe

Illicit (or illegal) discharges are any pollutants discharged into the storm sewer system that do not belong in the river. These pollutants can include wastewater that should be treated (laundry or sewer connections, leaking septic tanks), hazardous chemicals, pesticides/herbicides/fertilizers, car oils, feces, grease, trash, debris, and more. These pollutants can enter the storm sewer system via storm drains, overland flow, or pipes placed in a waterbody, or dumping directly into a waterway. All stormwater in Santa Fe is ultimately discharged into the Santa Fe River and arroyos, eventually ending up in the Rio Grande.

Remember: “Only Rain in the Drain!”

The EPA regulates illicit discharge under the Clean Water Act. The City of Santa Fe enforces this by inspecting and cleaning up illicit discharges. Illicit discharges can be reported by calling our stormwater hotline at 505-955-5644.

What is an MS4

In compliance with the federal Clean Water Act, the City of Santa Fe must obtain federal authorization through the National Pollution Discharge and Elimination System (NPDES) to discharge stormwater into the Santa Fe River via our storm sewer system. This permit program is called the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Program (MS4) and requires the permittee (the City) to create and implement a plan to reduce and control pollutants that are discharged into the river. The River and Watershed Section implements the City of Santa Fe Stormwater Management Plan (SWMP) and ensures compliance with local, state, and federal regulatory requirements. The most recent MS4 permit was issued to the City in 2007. An updated, more stringent permit is currently being drafted.

The Santa Fe MS4 Permit Program

Stormwater runoff is a leading source of surface water pollution. As stormwater runoff flows to the storm drain system, it flows over land and impervious surfaces, picking up pollutants left on the ground, such as oils, trash, and pet waste. This runoff flows into our arroyos and eventually into the Santa Fe River, which can significantly degrade water quality.

In 1972, Congress passed the Clean Water Act to restore and maintain the quality of the nation’s waterways. This Act aims to ensure that rivers and streams are fishable, swimmable, and drinkable. As part of the Clean Water Act, in 1990, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) created the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permit Program under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) stormwater program.

MS4 programs require permittees to implement a stormwater management program to control polluted stormwater discharges. The Phase I MS4 program affected urbanized areas, as defined by the US Census Bureau, with populations of 100,000 or greater. In 1999, EPA expanded the program to Phase II, which included urbanized areas with populations between 50,000 to 100,000. The current Phase II Permit was issued in 2007, and a new Permit is expected later this year. The Santa Fe urbanized area is covered under Phase II of the MS4 permit program, and the permittees include the City of Santa Fe, Santa Fe County, and NM Department of Transportation District 5. Currently, these agencies meet regularly to collaborate and improve collective strategies for MS4 compliance.

Under the MS4 Permit, each permittee must develop and implement a comprehensive Storm Water Management Plan (SWMP). The SWMP currently consists of six program components known as minimum control measures (MCMs) that must be implemented.

The SWMP includes pollution prevention measures, a stormwater ordinance, inspections and enforcement, and other methods to control the discharge of pollutants from stormwater to our waterways. The City’s stormwater management is funded by the stormwater utility service charge, which starts at $5.50/month per residential water meter and increases with meter size. Learn more about the stormwater fee here.

MS4 Documents

• Santa Fe NPDES MS4 Permit NMR040000 (2007)
• City Stormwater Management Plan (2019)
• City Stormwater Illicit Discharge Control Ordinance
• Santa Fe MS4 urbanized area map
• Annual Reports
  • FY24 Santa Fe MS4 Annual Report
  • FY23 Santa Fe MS4 Annual Report
  • FY22 Santa Fe MS4 Annual Report
  • FY21 Santa Fe MS4 Annual Report
  • FY20 Santa Fe MS4 Annual Report
• EPA MS4 Program Information
• NMED Stormwater Information
• NMDOT NPDES Stormwater Manual
• Santa Fe County Stormwater Information

The River and Watershed Section works with many partners to not only educate the public about stormwater but to restore the Santa Fe River and arroyos of our watershed. These projects were primarily identified in the City’s Stormwater Management Strategic Plan, rate of erosion, proximity to homes or schools, and the ability to leverage existing partnerships.

Major work completed includes:

• Santa Fe River
• Arroyo de los Chamisos
• Arroyo de los Pinos

Projects Storymap Coming Soon.

A “living river” is a river that flows year-round and can support a healthy ecosystem. After intense advocacy, the Santa Fe City Council passed a “Living River Ordinance” in February 2012 to allow the release of up to 1,000-acre feet of water into the Santa Fe River. This guarantees flow in the river. The long-term goal is to have a healthy river system that delivers water all the way to the Rio Grande.

Living River releases, mimicking natural snowmelt, provide essential spring pulses that revitalize the Santa Fe River channel and support native vegetation. This practice yields significant benefits for both the river and the broader watershed:

Enhanced Water Resources

Groundwater Recharge: Living River releases contribute directly to replenishing underground aquifers, a vital source of water for both ecosystems and human use throughout the watershed. This helps ensure a more sustainable water supply, especially during drier periods.

Flood Mitigation: Adequate river flows allow the river to connect with its natural floodplains. These floodplains act as sponges, temporarily storing excess water during high flow events, which can reduce the intensity and impact of downstream flooding on communities and infrastructure.

Healthier Riparian Ecosystems & Water Filtering: Consistent flows support the health and diversity of vegetation along the riverbanks (riparian zone). These ecosystems provide crucial habitat for wildlife, stabilize riverbanks against erosion, and naturally filter pollutants from the water, contributing to overall water quality.

Improved Water Quality

Pollutant Dilution: Sufficient water flow helps to dilute concentrations of pollutants that may enter the river, reducing their harmful effects on riparian habitat and downstream users.

Temperature Regulation: Environmental flows help maintain more natural and healthy water temperatures. This is crucial for the survival of many native species that are sensitive to temperature fluctuations. Additionally, the increased moisture and vegetation associated with a living river can help moderate ambient air temperatures, potentially mitigating the urban heat island effect in localized areas.

Sediment Management: Adequate flow is necessary to naturally transport sediments downstream. This prevents the build-up of fine sediments that can smother aquatic habitats and degrade water quality. Maintaining sediment transport also helps prevent excessive erosion of riverbanks and the surrounding landscape.

Ecological Vitality

Crucial Habitat: A living river corridor provides essential habitat for a wide array of native species, including birds, mammals, amphibians, insects, and fish. The diverse vegetation and water features support complex food webs and life cycles.

Migration Corridors: The river and its associated greenway serve as important migration pathways for wildlife moving between the river corridor and the surrounding upland areas. This connectivity is vital for maintaining healthy and resilient populations.

Climate Resilience

Urban Heat Island Mitigation: Vegetated corridors along a living river in urbanized areas can act as natural cooling systems. Evaporation from the river and transpiration from plants help to lower surrounding air temperatures, counteracting the urban heat island effect. This can lead to improved air quality, reduced energy consumption for cooling, and better public health outcomes.

Economic Advantages

Reduced Water Treatment Costs: Healthier river flows and improved water quality can naturally reduce the burden on water treatment facilities. Less contamination and better water quality upstream can lead to lower costs associated with purifying water for municipal and other uses.

Potential Health Expense Reduction: The environmental and cooling benefits of a healthy river corridor, such as improved air quality and reduced heat-related illnesses, can potentially lead to lower healthcare costs for the community.

Enhanced Property Values: Attractive green spaces and natural amenities, such as a healthy river and associated trails and parks, can increase the desirability and property values of nearby areas, benefiting local residents and the tax base.

Community Value

Cultural Heritage: The Santa Fe River is deeply intertwined with the history and culture of the region. Maintaining a living river acknowledges this heritage and preserves a vital aspect of the community's identity.

Long-Term Health and Sustainability: Supporting a healthy river system is a fundamental investment in the long-term ecological, economic, and social well-being of Santa Fe and the entire watershed. It contributes to a more sustainable and resilient future for generations to come.

By ensuring more consistent and ecologically meaningful flows in the Santa Fe River, we are not just enhancing the river itself, but actively investing in the health, environment, and prosperity of the entire Santa Fe community and its surrounding landscape.

Target Flow Ordinance for a Living River

Living River Target Flow Hydrograph for 2025-2026

The Santa Fe River Commission is an elected committee that was formed in 1996 to provide guidance to the City Governing Body on matters of the Santa Fe River and its watershed. The River Commission shall consult with City Staff, Santa Fe County, including Open Space and Trails staff, Cochiti Pueblo, acequia associations, other city committees, interested community groups, individuals, businesses, youth, and other governmental bodies that have responsibility for any aspect of the Santa Fe River or its watershed.

Powers and Duties

The Santa Fe River Commission shall advise the Governing Body with the aim of restoring the Santa Fe River to a living river and improving the health of the watershed as per the Santa Fe River Corridor Master Plan. In particular, the Santa Fe River Commission shall:

1. Consult with City Staff and other interested parties regarding the implementation of Sections 5, 6, and 7 of Ordinance No. 2006-28 regarding the “Voluntary River Conservation Fund” (which may be alternatively referred to as the “Living River Fund”) and advise the Governing Body regarding the fund’s implementation and operation.
2. Consult with City Staff, the Bicycle and Trails Advisory Committee (“BTAC”), and other interested parties regarding the establishment of a river trail within the Santa Fe River corridor where feasible and advise the Governing Body regarding such a trail.
3. Consult with City Staff, the Bicycle and Trails Advisory Committee (“BTAC”), and other interested parties regarding the establishment of a river trail within the Santa Fe River corridor where feasible and advise the Governing Body regarding such a trail.
4. Consult with City Staff and other interested parties regarding the expenditure of CIP funds, repayment of CIP funds by the Water Division, legislative funds, or other funds that may be directed to river or watershed projects, and advise the Governing Body regarding the expenditure of such funds.
5. Consult with City Staff and other interested parties regarding education and outreach to the community for river and watershed issues (including the Living River Fund, environmental flow, stormwater management, use of treated effluent, wildland-urban interface management, the pending Army Corps of Engineers’ watershed study, and other issues that impact the River and its watershed) and advise the Governing Body regarding such issues.
6. Consider and utilize river and watershed restoration as a means to involve Santa Fe’s youth in shaping the future of the River while providing workforce development and training opportunities for youth.

Santa Fe River Corridor Master Plan (1995)

2025 Santa Fe River Commission Meeting Calendar – find more information about River Commission meetings by searching in the City’s Meeting and Agendas portal.

The stormwater utility service charge was established in 2003 as a dedicated and sustainable funding source for the operation, construction, and maintenance of stormwater facilities, stormwater system planning, and compliance with local, state, and federal regulations.

What are the rates?

The Residential Stormwater Utility Service Charge for all meters is: $5.00

The Commercial Stormwater Utility Service Charges are as follows:

Where is the money going?

• Improving drainage in flood-prone areas
• Improving the existing storm drain system
• Constructing new drainage systems
• Erosion control or restoration projects
• Stormwater public education
• Operations and maintenance of the municipal drainage system
• Meeting compliance regulations
  • Water-quality testing
  • The stormwater utility service charge funds will support the estimated $30 million worth of drainage improvements needed throughout the City.
• The City of Santa Fe has approximately:
  • 1500 Inlets
  • 600 Outfalls
  • 1800 Culverts/Stormwater facilities
  • 1000 street cleaning miles
  • 80 miles of arroyo and channel

Payment questions

• I will have difficulty paying the additional amount. What can I do?
  • The City of Santa Fe offers a low-income credit for residential refuse, sewer, stormwater, and water service charges. Credits are based on National Poverty Income limits published in the Federal Register.
• Those receiving assistance will roll over, so if you qualify now, you will continue to be assisted without additional paperwork.
  • Customers may be exempt from monthly stormwater utility service charges if they meet the following:
  • The customer is the head of the household residing in the residence being assessed
  • The household's gross annual income does not exceed one hundred twenty percent (120%) of the most recent federal poverty guidelines.
  • The customer shall submit documents required by city policy to verify income.
  • Any person filing an affidavit requesting exemption of the charge consents to any reasonable investigation and substantiation by the City of the facts stated in the affidavit.

Stormwater Utility Service Charge Ordinance

What is a floodplain?

The floodplain is the area around a waterway that floods periodically with excess precipitation. It also includes the main river channel itself, referred to as the floodway. In New Mexico, this can include arroyos, acequias, ditches, and areas that are normally dry but hold water during floods and monsoons. 

How do I know if I live in a floodplain?

FEMA maps floodplains and categorizes areas with different levels of flood risk. The last mapping in Santa Fe was completed in 2012 and can be found by searching the National Flood Hazard Layer map. These maps are created for the purpose of regulating flood insurance and primarily show areas at risk of streams overtopping their banks, not overland flow such as we see in New Mexico with flash floods. Be aware of your risk, no matter where you live.

Flood Safety

The most common type of flooding in Santa Fe is flash floods, which happen quickly and intensely. Flash floods can carry items that can cause harm such as debris, large rocks, and sediment. It is important to be aware of floods no matter where you live, but especially if you live near a waterway, downstream from a dam, or in a low-lying area. Although arroyos and small streambeds are dry most of the year in Santa Fe, they can fill up quickly. 

How are stormwater and flooding connected? 

Rainwater that falls in cities usually lands on impervious surfaces such as streets, parking lots, and rooftops. As Santa Fe continues to grow, more impervious surfaces are added, and the amount of stormwater runoff increases. The stormwater runoff from these surfaces can be large enough to cause significant flooding, which can damage property or make travel difficult. It is important to manage excess stormwater runoff to help attenuate the risk of flooding. Green stormwater infrastructure is used to help water infiltrate into the ground, rather than flood streets and properties.

What is the National Flood Insurance Program?

The City of Santa Fe participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This program provides affordable flood insurance through the federal government, in return for the City establishing and enforcing floodplain management regulations. The City regulates development to ensure it does not increase flooding and create more risks for residents and businesses.

Documents, Contacts, and Links:

City Floodplain Administrator:
       Dee Beingessner, PE, City of Santa Fe Floodplain Manager
       dabeingessner@santafenm.gov

County Floodplain Administrator:
       John Lovato, Building and Development Supervisor,
       jlovato@santafecountynm.gov

City of Santa Fe Floodplain Ordinance (2012)

NMFlood.org

After Wildfire NM

Ready.gov Floods (Emergency Preparedness)

FloodSmart.gov (Flood Insurance)