Lower Rio Grande Ecosystem Initiative

The Lower Rio Grande Ecosystem Initiative

The Lower Rio Grande Ecosystem Initiative (LRGEI) was established by the Biological Resources Division of the USGS (formerly the National Biological Service) to address research and information needs pertinent to the biotic resources of the river and its adjacent terrestrial habitats. Currently, the LRGEI, in collaboration with other governmental agencies in the U.S. and Mexico has a number of projects in various stages of development:

  • Evaluating contaminant effects on fish in the Rio Grande main stem
  • Identifying ecological and contaminant issues in resacas (oxbows) in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of the U.S. and Mexico
  • Developing a bibliographic database of natural resources of the Rio Grande between Elephant Butte and the Gulf of Mexico
  • Examining of peregrine falcon reproduction adjacent to and within Big Bend National Park
  • Providing technical assistance in the creation of a geographic information system (GIS) database of Mexican lands adjacent to the lower Rio Grande
  • Establishing this Internet site to detail BRD activities along the Lower Rio Grande and provide information to researchers, managers, decision makers and citizens involved in environmental issues along the international border.

The Lower Rio Grande Ecosystem Initiative adheres to the BRD/U.S. Geological Survey guidelines regarding nonadvocacy science. Every attempt has been made to present objective, nonpartisan information through this Internet site.

Links to items of interest about the Lower Rio Grande

General Geographic Description of the Rio Grande

The Rio Grande is one of the longest rivers in the United States, beginning at an elevation of 3000 meters in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, flowing generally southward approximately 1200 km to the U.S.-Mexico border at El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua. From there, it flows generally southeast forming the Texas-Mexico border for approximately 2000 km until it reaches its mouth at the Gulf of Mexico near Brownsville, Texas. In Mexico, the Rio Grande is referred to as Rio Bravo del Norte. Major U.S. cities located along the Rio Grande include Albuquerque, New Mexico; and El Paso, Laredo, and McAllen, Texas. Major Mexican cities along the Rio Grande are Juarez, Chihuahua; and Nuevo Laredo, Reynosa, and Matamoros, Tamaulipas. Various groups have designated the subsections of the river differently; however, LRGEI defines the "lower" river as that portion below the Elephant Butte Reservoir in New Mexico and extending to the Gulf of Mexico.

General Conservation Status

The Rio Grande is recognized for its importance as a major water resource for the Chihuahuan Desert region. The Rio Grande, and its major tributary the Rio Conchos, is considered to be one of North America's most endangered river systems due to extensive degradation in water quality and habitat from its headwaters in the San Juan Mountains of southern Colorado to its terminus at the Gulf of Mexico. Pollution problems include hazardous waste dumps, municipal and industrial effluent, irrigation return flows, and municipal runoff. Both U.S. and Mexican agencies are reporting declines in diversity of border species of fish and wildlife.

About this Homepage:

This homepage is intended to provide researchers, resource managers, and other interested parties with information regarding the many natural resource issues and activities related to the lower Rio Grande. The primary emphasis of this homepage is biological resources. Flora and fauna are ultimately dependent on many nonbiological aspects of the environment. Thus, many tangential issues (e.g., water conservation, demographics) are included. This homepage was developed for those familiar with Rio Grande Issues as well as for those who are more interested in the myriad issues involving the biological resources of the area. Finally, this homepage will be under continuous construction and revision as new information becomes available. We welcome your assistance in making this informational resource helpful. Please contact us with your suggestions, corrections, and comments.