Fish habitat is being reconstructed on two sections of the Red River – one adjacent to Eagle Rock Lake and another just upstream from the Red River Fish Hatchery. Those projects intend to provide more places for fish to hold and improve the stream ecology in the hopes that it will create a more prolific fishery. The project near the fish hatchery also includes the removal of a concrete dam that blocked fish from moving upstream.
A two-year study released in February found significant levels of a bacteria in the San Juan and Animas rivers that indicate the presence of human waste. Officials involved in the study have said leaking septic systems or illegal waste dumping could be causing the pollution. Suggestions to solve the river pollution range from raising taxes, to rearranging the responsibilities of local environment department employees, to hiring more environment department enforcement officials in the Farmington field office.