Upper Pecos Watershed Association

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Upper Pecos Watershed Association The Upper Pecos watershed covers over 400 square miles of drainage of the Pecos River and its tribut

đź’š What Have We Done With Your Donations?As we reflect on 2026, we want to show you how your generosity has supported our...
11/12/2026

đź’š What Have We Done With Your Donations?

As we reflect on 2026, we want to show you how your generosity has supported our work beyond grant-funded river restoration.

🌲 Protected Our Forests — Opposed proposed mining at Jones Hill and advocated for the protection of roadless areas.

💧 Monitored Water Quality — Supported water sampling efforts in partnership with the Sierra Club.

🌿 Kept Pecos Canyon Cleaner — Provided portable restrooms during the busy recreation season to help protect water quality.

🎓 Invested in Future Stewards — Launched the Ralph Vigil Scholarship to support the next generation of environmental stewards.

🤝 Brought Our Community Together — Organized two river cleanups and two community meetings to encourage stewardship and keep residents informed.

While grants fund our major restoration projects, your donations help make this essential, year-round work possible.

As we celebrate 20 years of protecting the Pecos, thank you for being part of everything we've accomplished! đź’š

11/10/2026

For 20 years, the Pecos river has been at the heart of our mission.

đź’š And every day, it reminds us why it's worth protecting.

🎉 20 Years of Protecting the Pecos!Throughout 2026, we've had the privilege of celebrating a very special milestone: 20 ...
11/05/2026

🎉 20 Years of Protecting the Pecos!

Throughout 2026, we've had the privilege of celebrating a very special milestone: 20 years of the Upper Pecos Watershed Association!

As this anniversary year draws to a close, we're taking a moment to reflect on just how far we've come.

What began in 2006 as a commitment to protecting the Pecos River has grown into two decades of river restoration, environmental advocacy, community stewardship, and youth education.

Over the years, we've restored stretches of the Pecos River, brought communities together to protect our forests, expanded volunteer programs, and helped inspire the next generation of watershed stewards.

None of this happened overnight, and none of it would have been possible without the dedication of our volunteers, partners, donors, and the community that continues to stand behind us.

As we look back on 20 remarkable years, we're also looking ahead to what's next. There is still much to accomplish, and we're excited to continue this journey together.

20 Years of Protecting the Pecos. Help Us Protect the Next 20.

That's a Wrap on the 2026 Summer Season!As another busy season in Pecos Canyon comes to a close, we're reflecting on the...
11/03/2026

That's a Wrap on the 2026 Summer Season!

As another busy season in Pecos Canyon comes to a close, we're reflecting on the incredible work accomplished this year!

Our Pecos Ambassador Program grew to 19 dedicated volunteers, expanding our presence to new locations, including Pecos Canyon State Park. These volunteers helped promote responsible recreation, engage with visitors, and care for the beautiful places we all enjoy.

We also continued our portable restroom initiative, helping reduce human waste pollution and protect the water quality of the Pecos River throughout the busy recreation season.

From welcoming visitors to keeping our canyon clean, these efforts remind us that protecting the Pecos takes a community.

A heartfelt thank you to our volunteers, partners, and supporters who helped make this season a success!

đź’š Together, we're keeping Pecos Canyon beautiful, one season at a time.

The Upper Pecos Watershed is an iconic high-alpine landscape that serves as the pristine headwaters for the Pecos River....
10/23/2026

The Upper Pecos Watershed is an iconic high-alpine landscape that serves as the pristine headwaters for the Pecos River. With high elevation peaks, timbered canyons, a diversity of vegetation and spectrum of habitat, it supports vital cold-water fisheries for native Rio Grande cutthroat trout, brown trout, and rainbow trout within. But is it in balance? One of the watershed's original inhabitants, beavers, has long been scarce or missing from the Upper Pecos River. As nature's premier "ecosystem engineers," beavers play an indispensable role in maintaining the structural and hydrological health of mountain waterways. Without beavers, the watershed is vulnerable to accelerated erosion, reduced biodiversity, and diminished resilience. Join the Upper Pecos Watershed Association in its effort to support beaver reintroduction and coexistence. Photos: Upper Pecos Watershed along Panchuela Creek, October 2026.

🌲 PROPOSED DRILLING PROJECT ON JONES HILLProtecting the Upper Pecos Watershed from proposed exploratory drilling on Jone...
10/21/2026

🌲 PROPOSED DRILLING PROJECT ON JONES HILL

Protecting the Upper Pecos Watershed from proposed exploratory drilling on Jones Hill remains a priority for UPWA and our partners in the Stop Tererro Mine Coalition.

Earlier this year, UPWA, New Mexico Wild, and EcoFlight organized flights over the Pecos Wilderness, giving local leaders a unique perspective on the challenges facing our watershed, including drought conditions, the lasting impacts of historic mining, proposed exploratory drilling, and potential changes to federal land protections.

In his article, “Flying over the Pecos,” Jerry O’Shea reflects on the experience, the beauty of our mountains, and the importance of protecting this remarkable landscape for future generations.

đź’§ Our work to protect the Pecos continues, and we remain committed to keeping our community informed and engaged.

đź“© Want to read Jerry’s full article and stay up to date on UPWA’s work? Email us at [email protected] to join our mailing list and receive our newsletters!

Heavy monsoon rains and tropical moisture in late September 2026 resulted in significant rises and fast flows along the ...
10/19/2026

Heavy monsoon rains and tropical moisture in late September 2026 resulted in significant rises and fast flows along the Pecos River in New Mexico. The rainfall brought a dramatic change to the Upper Pecos River and restored flows along stretches that had been low and rocky after a hot and dry summer. While the moisture brightened the forest and improved watershed conditions, flows are waning and benefits are dwindling. Imagine a watershed with beaver dams capturing the monsoon rains and slowing, spreading, and storing the deluge. The Upper Pecos Watershed Association advocates for beaver reintroduction to the Pecos River corridor for drought resiliency and ecosystem integrity. Join us in our efforts! Images: Upper Pecos River near Pecos, NM on July 10, 2026 (upper) and September 18, 2026 (lower).

💧🌲 UPPER PECOS WATERSHED AWARENESS MONTH RECAP!What a September! We celebrated Upper Pecos Watershed Awareness Month wit...
10/17/2026

💧🌲 UPPER PECOS WATERSHED AWARENESS MONTH RECAP!

What a September! We celebrated Upper Pecos Watershed Awareness Month with community gatherings, advocacy, and some serious river cleanup!

💙 September 9th – Honoring Ralph Vigil

Janice Varela of New Mexico Wild and Magda Matecka of UPWA appeared before the Village of Pecos Board of Trustees to introduce a proclamation designating September 15th as Ralph Vigil Day. Ralph's legacy of protecting the Pecos continues to inspire the work we do today.

🌲 September 16th – Standing Up for Our Forests

40 community members joined us for a meeting about the proposed rescission of the Roadless Rule and what it could mean for our forests and watershed. Thank you to everyone who came to learn, ask questions, and make their voices heard!

🧤 September 26th – Pecos to Pecos Road & River Cleanup

And what a cleanup it was! 150 volunteers from Pecos, New Mexico, to Pecos, Texas, collected over 350 bags of trash! That's what happens when communities come together for a river they love!

To everyone who participated, volunteered, organized, or supported our September events, THANK YOU! Your involvement is what makes Upper Pecos Watershed Awareness Month so special.

Here's to continuing this work together, not just in September, but all year long! đź’™

OUTDOOR EQUITY FUND – BRINGING LEARNING OUTDOORS!We have some exciting news! UPWA is a recipient of an Outdoor Equity Fu...
10/15/2026

OUTDOOR EQUITY FUND – BRINGING LEARNING OUTDOORS!

We have some exciting news! UPWA is a recipient of an Outdoor Equity Fund grant, and we can't wait to bring more hands-on environmental education to students at Pecos Schools!

Together with our wonderful partners at River Source, we'll be heading into the field with students this fall and again in the spring to explore the Pecos River, collect water quality data, and learn all things water! đź’§

Students will have the opportunity to compare their findings across seasons, analyze their data, and prepare presentations to better understand the health of our river.

And we couldn't be more fortunate to work with the amazing teachers at Pecos Schools, who are just as excited as we are to get students outside and learning!

📸 We'll be sharing pictures and highlights from our field trips right here on social media, so stay tuned and follow along!

🌲PECOS AMBASSADORS – YOU ARE THE REAL MVPs!As our Spring/Summer 2026 season comes to a close, we want to give a HUGE sho...
10/13/2026

🌲PECOS AMBASSADORS – YOU ARE THE REAL MVPs!

As our Spring/Summer 2026 season comes to a close, we want to give a HUGE shoutout to our 19 incredible Pecos Ambassadors who spent the season caring for Pecos Canyon!

These dedicated volunteers did so much more than pick up trash. They helped ensure campfires were properly extinguished, served as a valuable connection between Canyon visitors and the U.S. Forest Service, and helped keep this beautiful place clean and safe for everyone to enjoy.

Their work made a tremendous difference, and we couldn't be more grateful for each and every one of them! đź’š

Our Pecos Ambassadors program continues to grow, and we'd love to welcome more community members into the group next year!

Interested in joining? Keep an eye on our social media pages for information about opportunities to become a Pecos Ambassador for the Spring/Summer 2027 season.

To our 19 amazing volunteers, from the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU! 🏆🌲

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78 S Main Street
Pecos, NM
87552

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Monday 8:30am - 4pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 4pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 4pm
Thursday 8:30am - 4pm

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