Water — always precious in the Southwest — has been dwindling in recent years. Temperatures are rising. Winds are intensifying. The health of the middle Rio Grande, of which the refuge is a vital part, faces mounting challenges.

Much of our water infrastructure has served faithfully for decades. But without timely upgrades, aging systems risk failure — potentially closing portions of the refuge and reducing the healthy wetlands, food sources, and safe habitat wildlife depend on.

Now is the time to strengthen these hard-working lifelines — before problems become losses.

Beneath every shimmering marsh and crane-filled sunrise lies an unseen network of gates, channels, and waterways that carry life-giving water across the land. In an arid landscape like New Mexico, water does not simply arrive — it must be carefully guided, stewarded, and sustained.

This year, we are rebuilding the lifelines that deliver water to the heart of the wetlands at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, ensuring that hundreds of species of animals and plants, as well as the hundreds of thousands of visitors who sojourn to this refuge every year can continue to thrive along the Central Flyway.

Your gift keeps the water flowing — and the wild returning.