Photo: Rachel Conn
What Does Amigos Bravos Do?
We have a vision of New Mexico’s rivers and streams running so clear and clean that
you can bend a knee to the water, cup your hands, and drink without fear.
you can bend a knee to the water, cup your hands, and drink without fear.
Restoring Watershed Health
Healthy watersheds are critical to the wellbeing of New Mexico’s people, plants, and animals. Working with volunteers, community organizations, wetland restoration contractors, environmental consultants, and public land and wildlife agencies, Amigos Bravos works to protect and restore the natural hydrology and resiliency of wetlands, forests, high mountain meadows, and aquatic ecosystems. Read More >Holding Polluters Accountable
Key to protecting New Mexico’s waters for future generations is holding polluters and government agencies accountable for water contamination and hazardous waste. Continuing areas of concern for Amigos Bravos include impacts from the mining industry, Los Alamos National Laboratory, municipal and industrial stormwater discharges, concentrated dairy farms, and the oil and gas industry. Read More >Building a Water Movement & Community Capacity
Amigos Bravos empowers individuals and communities to protect and restore the waters in their own backyards through educational outreach, hands-on trainings, technical assistance, and coalition-building – each of which generates leadership for future campaigns. Read More >CURRENT CAUSES
TAKE ACTION:
Please Sign a Petition to Protect New Mexico Waters
- Pledge your support for protecting our New Mexico waters and ensuring access to traditional, and recreational uses and protecting the unique and rich New Mexico natural resources for generations to come. Read More >
CURRENT CAUSES:
Carson National Forest Plan Objection
- On November 1, 2021, Amigos Bravos submitted a formal objection to the Carson National Forest Plan. The objection focused on three areas of concern with the Carson’s final plan including the removal of wild and scenic protections from 62 streams; inaccurate language about Outstanding Waters protections; and unnecessarily narrow language related to water quality standards. Read More >
2023 Supreme Court Ruling Undermines Decades of Clean Water Act Protections
- New Mexico’s rivers, streams and wetlands are some of the most threatened waters in the country. Starting with several U.S. Supreme Court rulings in 2001, 2006, and 2023 that reduced the number of waters protected by the federal Clean Water Act, water quality protections for New Mexico’s waters has been under attack. In May of 2023, the US Supreme Court finalized a rule that stripped decades of Clean Water Act protections for up to 96% of New Mexico’s waters. Read More >
Rio Fernando de Taos Revitalization
- Amigos Bravos is engaged in an watershed-wide multi-tiered approach to revitalizing the Rio Fernando de Taos Watershed. The project blends comprehensive water quality monitoring, watershed-based planing for is E. coli, wetland restoration and collabrative engagement with others working on recreation opportunities, agricultural infrastructure and education. Read More >
Join the “River-lution” Take a Stand for Clean Water
Help us defend the sacred waters that provide clean drinking water for people and wildlife, and the water we love for recreation and inspiration.
Roll your sleeves up!
Your time is the most valuable thing you can contribute.
Learn More and Volunteer
Testimonials
Read more about our volunteers and donors.
Beata Tsosie-PeñaTewa Women Unite
“Amigos Bravos is an organization that is genuine in nurturing the relations with local communities to do impactful organizing and collaborative work to protect New Mexico’s waters. Tewa Women United is grateful for their ongoing support, advocacy and technical expertise and we look forward to continuing vital work with them in the future as partners in the Communities for Clean Water Coalition.”
Judy TorresTaos Valley Acequia Association
“Amigos Bravos was such a great resource when the Rio Fernando acequias upgraded their main headgate, helping facilitate the process with a design that would benefit all users of the Rio Fernando stream. Amigos Bravos also helped Acequia commissioners understand the importance of a healthy stream system.”
Andrew FahlundSenior Program Officer
“The Water Foundation is proud to support Amigos Bravos for their deep understanding of water policy and management, their generous and collaborative engagement with partners, and their tenacious and indomitable spirit to protect the natural treasures of New Mexico.”
Janice VarelaSan Miguel County Commissioner and Pecos Watershed Resident
“I've been working with Amigos Bravos most recently on the proposed Tererro Mine exploratory project near my home village of Pecos. We work together as part of a larger coalition to protect the Pecos River from pollution and degradation. We're also working together to pursue Outstanding National Resource Water (ONRW) protection for the Pecos. Amigos Bravos are experts in river protection and have the science and networks to support their work.”
Stacy Quinn & Wes PattersonMajor Donors
“I felt from the time Amigos Bravos started that it was important to have clean rivers and intelligent use of water in New Mexico. They are the organization that will fight for this part of our environment. Water is life. This detail is spiritually and physically without precedence.”
Wes Patterson - In Memoriam
September 16, 1947 — July 11, 2020
“A True Amigo”
Jim LuddenVolunteer
“I volunteer with Amigos Bravos because it gets me outdoors and because I’m a scientist and like to help with investigations. I know that clean water is critical to our survival on this planet. Sampling gets me to new parts of the area.”
