Harvey Jones Bioswale Demonstration Project
The Harvey Jones Bioswale Demonstration project is located in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. Rio Rancho is the largest city and economic hub of Sandoval County. The proposed project will clean and filter pollutants from stormwater from the Montoya Watershed before it enters the Rio Grande. This system is called a green stormwater treatment facility or a bioswale. The location of the project is highly visible, which provides an opportunity to demonstrate green stormwater infrastructure to communities in the greater Albuquerque Region.
The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the Southern Sandoval County Arroyo Flood Control Authority (SSCAFCA) are partnering to implement the Harvey Jones Bioswale Demonstration project. In addition to improving water quality in the Rio Grande, the project will restore forest habitat along the riparian flood plains of streams and riverbanks and benefit fish and wildlife in the region of New Mexico. And, thanks to this initiative, five acres of new wetland habitat along the Rio Grande will be supported.
Once the Harvey Jones Bioswale Demonstration project is complete, project implementers will seek funding for community engagement during the project design process including three proposed events hosted by TNC to engage local community groups, schools, and residents during different phases of the project from start to finish.
* Project restores natural hydrologic conditions to facilitate improved capture and infiltration of surface water and groundwater recharge