New Mexico Water Quality Assessment Report

Assessed Waters of New Mexico by Watershed

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Features

Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Summary Results

New Mexico (2010)

	Rivers and Streams (Miles)	Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds (Acres)
	Size of Water
Good Waters	2,456.2	13,456.6
Previously impaired waters now attaining all uses	127.2
Threatened Waters
TMDL completed
TMDL alternative
Non-pollutant impairment
TMDL needed
Impaired Waters	3,805.9	49,521.2
TMDL completed	834.3
TMDL alternative
Non-pollutant impairment	181.4
TMDL needed	2,790.2	49,521.2
New TMDLs completed	658.5	.0
Remaining TMDLs needed	2,131.7	49,521.2

Total Assessed Waters	6,262.1	62,977.8
Total Waters	110,741.0	997,467.0
Percent of Waters Assessed	5.7	6.3

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Summary of Water Quality Assessments for Each Waterbody Type
for Reporting Year 2010

Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results

New Mexico Rivers and Streams 2010

Description of this table

Assessed Status	Miles

Assessed	6,262.1
Unassessed	104,478.9
Total Miles	110,741.0

Description of this table

Attainment Status	Miles

Good	2,456.2
Threatened	.0
Impaired	3,805.9
Total Miles Assessed	6,262.1

Description of this table

TMDL Development Status	Miles

All TMDLs completed	1,492.8
TMDL alternative	.0
Non-pollutant impairment	181.4
TMDL needed	2,131.7
Total Threatened and Impaired	3,805.9

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Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results

Individual Designated Use Support
New Mexico Rivers and Streams 2010

* Waters assessed for more than one designated use are included in multiple designated use groups below.

Description of this table

Designated Use	Miles Assessed	Percent Good	Percent Threatened	Percent Impaired	% Good
					% Threatened
					% Impaired
Coldwater Fishery	753.9	38.0	.0	62.0
Domestic Water Supply	2,234.9	96.6	.0	3.4
Fish Consumption	47.7	9.4	.0	90.6
Fish Culture	1,819.1	100.0	.0	.0
High Quality Coldwater Aquatic Life	2,239.5	32.3	.0	67.7
Industrial Water Supply	1,009.5	100.0	.0	.0
Irrigation	5,596.0	98.6	.0	1.4
Irrigation Storage	12.3	100.0	.0	.0
Limited Warmwater Fishery	1,567.7	58.4	.0	41.6
Livestock Watering	4,795.5	98.7	.0	1.3
Marginal Coldwater Fishery	1,007.9	43.8	.0	56.2
Municipal Water Supply	823.2	100.0	.0	.0
Primary Contact	225.3	94.7	.0	5.3
Secondary Contact	2,852.2	73.9	.0	26.1
Secondary Recreation	98.7	65.0	.0	35.0
Warmwater Fishery	1,311.4	60.0	.0	40.0
Wildlife Habitat	6,034.5	98.5	.0	1.5

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Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results

Causes of Impairment
New Mexico Rivers and Streams 2010

Description of this table

Cause of Impairment	Cause of Impairment Group	Miles Threatened or Impaired
Temperature, Water	Temperature	1,363.5
Nutrient/Eutrophication Biological Indicators	Nutrients	763.6
Turbidity	Turbidity	685.8
Escherichia Coli (E. Coli)	Pathogens	683.1
Aluminum	Metals (other than Mercury)	604.3
Sedimentation/Siltation	Sediment	497.8
Dissolved Oxygen	Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion	447.3
Specific Conductivity	Salinity/Total Dissolved Solids/Chlorides/Sulfates	353.0
PCB(s) in Fish Tissue	Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)	238.3
Benthic Macroinvertebrates Bioassessments	Cause Unknown - Impaired Biota	234.3
Low Flow Alterations	Flow Alteration(s)	194.4
DDT	Pesticides	132.2
pH	pH/Acidity/Caustic Conditions	85.1
Arsenic	Metals (other than Mercury)	79.4
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)	Salinity/Total Dissolved Solids/Chlorides/Sulfates	77.7
Selenium	Metals (other than Mercury)	70.1
Gross Alpha	Radiation	70.0
Boron	Toxic Inorganics	66.2
Fecal Coliform	Pathogens	58.6
Sulfates	Salinity/Total Dissolved Solids/Chlorides/Sulfates	56.0
Mercury in Fish Tissue	Mercury	41.0
Radium 226	Radiation	38.4
Radium 228	Radiation	38.4
PCB in Water Column	Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)	36.4
Ammonia, Un-ionized	Ammonia	36.2
Mercury	Mercury	22.2
Nitrogen, Nitrate	Nutrients	14.4
Cadmium	Metals (other than Mercury)	13.8
Zinc	Metals (other than Mercury)	13.8
Ambient Bioassays -- Acute Aquatic Toxicity	Total Toxics	11.9
Copper	Metals (other than Mercury)	8.6
Vanadium (Fume or Dust)	Metals (other than Mercury)	8.6
Lead	Metals (other than Mercury)	3.6

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Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results

Probable Sources
New Mexico Rivers and Streams 2010

Description of this table

Probable Source	Probable Source Group	Miles Threatened or Impaired
Rangeland Grazing	Agriculture	2,114.7
Source Unknown	Unknown	1,253.5
Natural Sources	Natural/Wildlife	1,156.0
Loss Of Riparian Habitat	Habitat Alterations (Not Directly Related To Hydromodification)	943.2
Streambank Modifications/Destabilization	Hydromodification	758.0
Flow Alterations From Water Diversions	Hydromodification	686.7
Municipal Point Source Discharges	Municipal Discharges/Sewage	647.5
On-Site Treatment Systems (Septic Systems And Similar Decentralized Systems)	Municipal Discharges/Sewage	609.3
Highway/Road/Bridge Runoff (Non-Construction Related)	Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	544.7
Other Recreational Pollution Sources	Recreation And Tourism (Non-Boating)	475.0
Drought-Related Impacts	Natural/Wildlife	441.1
Waterfowl	Natural/Wildlife	330.5
Wildlife Other Than Waterfowl	Natural/Wildlife	301.2
Atmospheric Deposition - Toxics	Atmospheric Deposition	299.2
Impervious Surface/Parking Lot Runoff	Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	274.4
Wastes From Pets	Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	269.3
Silviculture, Fire Suppression	Silviculture (Forestry)	261.2
Municipal (Urbanized High Density Area)	Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	257.6
Irrigated Crop Production	Agriculture	216.4
Watershed Runoff Following Forest Fire	Silviculture (Forestry)	190.5
Habitat Modification - Other Than Hydromodification	Habitat Alterations (Not Directly Related To Hydromodification)	164.1
Off-Road Vehicles	Recreation And Tourism (Non-Boating)	137.6
Animal Feeding Operations (Nps)	Agriculture	127.8
Site Clearance (Land Development Or Redevelopment)	Construction	117.1
Channelization	Hydromodification	106.4
Inappropriate Waste Disposal	Spills/Dumping	96.6
Permitted Runoff From Confined Animal Feeding Operations (Cafos)	Agriculture	96.1
Forest Roads (Road Construction And Use)	Silviculture (Forestry)	79.3
Livestock (Grazing Or Feeding Operations)	Agriculture	75.4
Silviculture Harvesting	Silviculture (Forestry)	74.7
Post-Development Erosion And Sedimentation	Hydromodification	68.7
Surface Mining	Resource Extraction	68.1
Impacts From Abandoned Mine Lands (Inactive)	Resource Extraction	61.1
Mill Tailings	Industrial	55.7
Baseflow Depletion From Groundwater Withdrawals	Hydromodification	53.0
Crop Production (Crop Land Or Dry Land)	Agriculture	47.6
Contaminated Sediments	Legacy/Historical Pollutants	47.3
Mine Tailings	Resource Extraction	34.5
Dam Or Impoundment	Hydromodification	32.4
Aquaculture (Permitted)	Aquaculture	30.8
Agriculture	Agriculture	30.6
Dredging (E.G., For Navigation Channels)	Hydromodification	25.5
Industrial/Commercial Site Stormwater Discharge (Permitted)	Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	25.1
Low Water Crossing	Other	23.1
Petroleum/Natural Gas Production Activities (Permitted)	Industrial	21.4
Petroleum/Natural Gas Activities	Resource Extraction	21.4
Reclamation Of Inactive Mining	Resource Extraction	16.2
Urban Runoff/Storm Sewers	Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	14.2
Highways, Roads, Bridges, Infrastructure (New Construction)	Construction	12.7
Upstream Impoundments (E.G., Pl-566 Nrcs Structures)	Hydromodification	11.3
Industrial Point Source Discharge	Industrial	9.4
Rcra Hazardous Waste Sites	Industrial	9.2
Other Spill Related Impacts	Spills/Dumping	9.0
Acid Mine Drainage	Resource Extraction	8.3
Dam Construction (Other Than Upstream Flood Control Projects)	Hydromodification	8.1
Placer Mining	Resource Extraction	2.8
Landfills	Land Application/Waste Sites/Tanks	2.2

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Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results

New Mexico Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds 2010

Description of this table

Assessed Status	Acres

Assessed	62,977.8
Unassessed	934,489.2
Total Acres	997,467.0

Description of this table

Attainment Status	Acres

Good	13,456.6
Threatened	.0
Impaired	49,521.2
Total Acres Assessed	62,977.8

Description of this table

TMDL Development Status	Acres

All TMDLs completed	.0
TMDL alternative	.0
Non-pollutant impairment	.0
TMDL needed	49,521.2
Total Threatened and Impaired	49,521.2

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Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results

Individual Designated Use Support
New Mexico Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds 2010

* Waters assessed for more than one designated use are included in multiple designated use groups below.

Description of this table

Designated Use	Acres Assessed	Percent Good	Percent Threatened	Percent Impaired	% Good
					% Threatened
					% Impaired
Coldwater Fishery	25,306.8	23.3	.0	76.7
Domestic Water Supply	2,239.5	40.4	.0	59.6
Fish Culture	2,276.7	100.0	.0	.0
High Quality Coldwater Aquatic Life	1,653.2	16.5	.0	83.5
Industrial Water Storage	13,151.2	100.0	.0	.0
Industrial Water Supply	5,422.4	100.0	.0	.0
Irrigation	7,678.6	100.0	.0	.0
Irrigation Storage	41,803.6	100.0	.0	.0
Limited Warmwater Fishery	1,646.4	1.1	.0	98.9
Livestock Watering	55,486.4	100.0	.0	.0
Marginal Coldwater Fishery	816.6	73.4	.0	26.6
Municipal Water Storage	13,151.2	100.0	.0	.0
Municipal Water Supply	6,367.5	100.0	.0	.0
Primary Contact	47,136.0	100.0	.0	.0
Secondary Contact	6,205.2	97.6	.0	2.4
Secondary Recreation	2,876.5	62.6	.0	37.4
Warmwater Fishery	44,330.2	3.0	.0	97.0
Wildlife Habitat	62,954.0	100.0	.0	.0

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Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results

Causes of Impairment
New Mexico Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds 2010

Description of this table

Cause of Impairment	Cause of Impairment Group	Acres Threatened or Impaired
Mercury in Fish Tissue	Mercury	44,277.0
PCB(s) in Fish Tissue	Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)	11,909.1
Dissolved Oxygen	Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion	5,653.1
Nutrient/Eutrophication Biological Indicators	Nutrients	4,412.9
Aluminum	Metals (other than Mercury)	3,767.8
DDT	Pesticides	3,058.7
Arsenic	Metals (other than Mercury)	1,668.6
Temperature, Water	Temperature	187.5
pH	pH/Acidity/Caustic Conditions	159.3
Escherichia Coli (E. Coli)	Pathogens	151.0
Copper	Metals (other than Mercury)	11.2
Sedimentation/Siltation	Sediment	6.0

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Site-specific Targeted Monitoring Results

Probable Sources
New Mexico Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds 2010

Description of this table

Probable Source	Probable Source Group	Acres Threatened or Impaired
Source Unknown	Unknown	44,650.3
Atmospheric Deposition - Toxics	Atmospheric Deposition	42,341.3
Natural Sources	Natural/Wildlife	6,197.5
Rangeland Grazing	Agriculture	5,656.5
Loss Of Riparian Habitat	Habitat Alterations (Not Directly Related To Hydromodification)	4,267.5
Streambank Modifications/Destabilization	Hydromodification	4,251.2
Impervious Surface/Parking Lot Runoff	Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	3,840.1
On-Site Treatment Systems (Septic Systems And Similar Decentralized Systems)	Municipal Discharges/Sewage	1,357.6
Subsurface (Hardrock) Mining	Resource Extraction	1,333.8
Wildlife Other Than Waterfowl	Natural/Wildlife	1,333.8
Contaminated Sediments	Legacy/Historical Pollutants	1,038.4
Inappropriate Waste Disposal	Spills/Dumping	1,038.4
Other Recreational Pollution Sources	Recreation And Tourism (Non-Boating)	140.5
Agriculture	Agriculture	68.4
Silviculture Harvesting	Silviculture (Forestry)	50.0
Habitat Modification - Other Than Hydromodification	Habitat Alterations (Not Directly Related To Hydromodification)	39.9
Highway/Road/Bridge Runoff (Non-Construction Related)	Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	23.8
Pesticide Application	Land Application/Waste Sites/Tanks	11.2

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New Mexico Causes of Impairment for Reporting Year 2010

Description of this table

Cause of Impairment Group	Size of Assessed Waters with Listed Causes of Impairment
NOTE: Click on the underlined Cause of Impairment Group to see a list of specific state causes of impairment making up the Cause of Impairment Group. See also Pollution categories summary document (PDF) (20 pp, 557K, About PDF) for brief, non-technical descriptions of general cause categories.
Cause of Impairment Group	Rivers and Streams (Miles)	Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds (Acres)
Ammonia	36.2
Cause Unknown - Impaired Biota	234.3
Flow Alteration(s)	194.4
Mercury	63.2	44,277.0
Metals (other than Mercury)	672.9	5,447.5
Nutrients	777.9	4,412.9
Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion	447.3	5,653.1
Pathogens	741.7	151.0
Pesticides	132.2	3,058.7
pH/Acidity/Caustic Conditions	85.1	159.3
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)	274.7	11,909.1
Radiation	79.0
Salinity/Total Dissolved Solids/Chlorides/Sulfates	430.6
Sediment	497.8	6.0
Temperature	1,363.5	187.5
Total Toxics	11.9
Toxic Inorganics	66.2
Turbidity	685.8

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New Mexico Probable Sources Contributing to Impairments
for Reporting Year 2010

Description of this table

Probable Source Group	Size of Assessed Waters with Probable Sources of Impairments
NOTE: Click on the underlined Probable Source Group to see a list of specific state Probable Sources making up the Probable Source Group.
Probable Source Group	Rivers and Streams (Miles)	Lakes, Reservoirs, and Ponds (Acres)
Agriculture	2,230.7	5,724.9
Aquaculture	30.8
Atmospheric Deposition	299.2	42,341.3
Construction	129.8
Habitat Alterations (Not Directly Related To Hydromodification)	1,001.6	4,283.6
Hydromodification	1,485.5	4,251.2
Industrial	95.8
Land Application/Waste Sites/Tanks	2.2	11.2
Legacy/Historical Pollutants	47.3	1,038.4
Municipal Discharges/Sewage	929.3	1,357.6
Natural/Wildlife	1,706.4	6,197.5
Other	23.1
Recreation And Tourism (Non-Boating)	557.5	140.5
Resource Extraction	174.8	1,333.8
Silviculture (Forestry)	573.7	50.0
Spills/Dumping	96.6	1,038.4
Unknown	1,253.5	44,650.3
Urban-Related Runoff/Stormwater	967.2	3,863.9

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New Mexico TMDL Alternatives by Cause of Impairment 2010

No TMDL Alternatives reported.

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New Mexico Previously 303(d)-Listed Waters Now Attaining All Applicable Water Quality Standards

Description of this table

Year Attaining	Number of Waters Attaining	Number of Causes of Impairment Addressed
NOTE: Click on the underlined "Number of Waters Attaining" value for a detailed list of those previously 303(d)-listed waters now attaining all applicable water quality standards.
2009	2	3
2010	10	10

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New Mexico Causes of Impairment for 303(d) Listed Waters

Description of this table

Cause of Impairment Group Name	Number of Causes of Impairment Reported
NOTE: Click on a cause of impairment (e.g. pathogens) to see the specific state-reported causes that are grouped to make up this category. Click on the "Number of Causes of Impairment Reported" to see a list of waters with that cause of impairment.
Metals (other than Mercury)	69
Temperature	53
Nutrients	37
Turbidity	35
Pathogens	28
Mercury	26
Radiation	24
Organic Enrichment/Oxygen Depletion	19
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)	18
Cause Unknown - Impaired Biota	17
Sediment	11
pH/Acidity/Caustic Conditions	10
Salinity/Total Dissolved Solids/Chlorides/Sulfates	8
Pesticides	4
Toxic Inorganics	2
Total Toxics	1
Ammonia	1

Total: 363 Causes of Impairment

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New Mexico Cumulative TMDLs by Pollutant

This chart includes TMDLs since October 1, 1995.

Description of this table

Pollutant	Number of TMDLs	Number of Causes of Impairment Addressed
NOTE: Click on the underlined "Pollutant" value to see associated listed waters for which a TMDL was developed. Click on the underlined "Number of TMDLs" value to see a listing of those TMDLs for the pollutant.
Temperature	64	64
Turbidity	38	38
Escherichia Coli (E. Coli)	37	37
Phosphorus, Total	31	31
Nitrogen, Total	28	28
Fecal Coliform	21	21
Aluminum	20	20
Stream Bottom Deposits	17	17
Arsenic	9	9
Sedimentation/Siltation	8	8
Conductivity	5	5
Specific Conductivity	5	5
Boron	4	4
Nutrients - Algae	4	4
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)	4	4
Dissolved Oxygen	3	3
Phosphorus	2	2
Selenium	2	2
pH	2	2
Ammonia	1	1
Chlorine	1	1
Sulfate	1	1
Total Ammonia	1	1
Total Organic Carbon (TOC)	1	1
Total Residual Chlorine	1	1
Total Suspended Solids (TSS)	1	1

Total: 311 TMDLs; 311 Causes of Impairment Addressed

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New Mexico Cumulative Number of TMDLs

EPA Fiscal Year starts October 1 and ends September 30.

Description of this table

Fiscal Year	Number of TMDLs	Number of Causes of Impairment Addressed
NOTE: Click on the underlined "Number of TMDLs Completed" value for a detailed list of the TMDLs for the fiscal year.
1999	13	13
2000	26	26
2001	10	10
2002	19	19
2003	16	16
2004	28	28
2005	35	35
2006	15	15
2007	33	33
2009	29	29
2010	39	39
2011	19	19
2012	29	29

Total: 311 TMDLs; 311 Causes of Impairment Addressed

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TMDL Document Search

Full Text Search of TMDL Documents

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