Corrales, NM
The Harvey Jones Bioswale is a green stormwater infrastructure project implemented as a collaboration between TNC (The Nature Conservancy), SSCAFCA (Southern Sandoval County Arroyo Flood Control Authority), AMAFCA (Albuquerque Metro Arroyo Flood Control Authority ), MRGCD (Middle Rio Grande Conservation District), the Village of Corrales, the City of Rio Rancho, AMREP, the Ancestral Lands Program of Conservation Legacy, and the US Army Corps of Engineers.
In spring 2022, we planted 28,000 willow stems and over 100 cottonwood poles along sculpted channels, following the removal of invasive species from the site, and resulting in the creation of about 10 acres of valuable wetland habitat adjacent to the Rio Grande.
The permeable nature of the bioswale allows for infiltration within and along the channels, elevating the water table throughout the reach, and filtering stormwater from the Montoyas Arroyo as well as fully treated wastewater from Rio Rancho through vegetation, soil, and soil microbes. The perennial flow of wastewater sustains the native riparian vegetation and soil microbes that break down pollutants, prior to the swale’s convergence with the Rio Grande.
Our work was completed with hands on support from Sarah Hurteau of TNC, Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps staff members in Albuquerque, as well as several neighborhood residents.
