Construction Begins on Corrales Bosque Restoration with Endangered Species Protections

Crews from the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District, working with the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department Forestry Division, began work in the Corrales Bosque the week of Feb. 2 to treat invasive species and reduce hazardous fuels across roughly 100 acres, the Village of Corrales posted on social media. The work has closed portions of the bosque to the public and deployed hand crews, herbicide applications and chainsaws to remove vegetation and reduce fire risk.

The Village post said, "Beginning the week of February 2, 2026 MRGCD will be working in partnership with EMNRD Forestry Division to treat invasive species and reduce fuels throughout 100 acres of the Corrales Bosque." Hand crews were scheduled to start Feb. 4 in the north unit and "move south throughout the three units, it explains." The post warned, "During this time, the bosque will be closed and the public should avoid these areas, as herbicides and chainsaws will be in use. Signs will be placed on trailheads to identify work zones." Work is set to finish Feb. 28, the notice said.

For residents who use the bosque for daily walks, dog runs or birding, the closure and equipment mean familiar trails will be off-limits and that crews will be active during daylight hours. The explicit warning about herbicide use is a public-safety measure; neighbors and frequent bosque users should heed trailhead signage and avoid fenced or posted work zones until crews clear each area.

In parallel, a separate technical construction document reviewed for planning purposes outlines more extensive river-engineering steps and seasonal protections for federally protected birds. That document specifies an eight-month construction season from Aug. 15, 2025 to Apr. 15, 2026 and requires work to avoid the normal breeding and nesting season - April 15 to Aug. 15 - or to delay until Sept. 1 if Western yellow-billed cuckoos are present. It names the endangered Southwestern willow flycatcher and the federally threatened Western yellow-billed cuckoo and sets hydrologic design criteria for side channels sized to contain the 25 percent exceedance of daily winter flows - roughly 660 cubic feet per second based on the most recent 10 years of data at the USGS Alameda Bridge gage (08329918). The technical notes describe excavation of cutoff/side channels, temporary riprap diversion cofferdams and rock-lined earthen berms to redirect flows while work proceeds.

That agency-level sequencing and the social-media notice contain notable differences: the Village message describes a north-to-south progression of hand crews, while the technical document describes south-to-north construction and heavier in-stream work. The technical document does not explicitly name the Corrales Bosque fuels-reduction campaign, so which engineering steps apply to the February work has not been confirmed.

What this means for readers: expect bosque closures and active crews through the end of February, follow trailhead signage, and watch the Village of Corrales social-media channels for maps and updates. Residents and stakeholders should press MRGCD and EMNRD Forestry Division for clear maps of affected units, a detailed scope of herbicide use and any biological survey results showing whether listed birds are present and what monitoring or timing protections will be enforced. Clear answers will determine whether this is a one-month fuels-reduction push or part of a larger, phased project with additional river-engineering work and species protections.