Water, Air and Soil
Water is one of the most important commodities on Forest Service lands, and the cleanest water flows from healthy, forested watersheds.
Air, like water, is inseparable from the health of natural resources. Poor air quality decreases visibility, acidifies or disrupts the nutrient balance in lakes and streams, injures plant and animal communities and harms human health.
Healthy soil absorbs water and makes it available for plants, cycle nutrients and filter pollutants. Soil also controls water flow and stores and cycles nutrients. Soil is the basis of our ecosystem and controls living things above and below the surface.
Water Resources
Water resources of the Santa Fe NF include thousands of miles of streams, hundreds of miles of groundwater-dependent ecosystems, and hundreds of acres of non-flowing waterbodies (National Hydrography Geospatial Dataset). Stream ecosystems have flowing water and include creeks and rivers, along with their associated riparian vegetation zones and flood plains. Stream types differ in the timing and duration of surface flow and corresponding vegetation. Ephemeral streams (arroyos) flow for short duration in response to storm events. Intermittent streams flow seasonally, usually in response to snowmelt, and may contain perennially wet areas. Groundwater and groundwater-dependent ecosystems include springs, seeps, wetlands, fens, riparian areas, groundwater-fed streams and lakes, and aquifers. These are present throughout the forest and vary in size and timing of flow and connections to surface waters. Waterbodies serves as a catchall term for lentic systems, which are non-flowing water features. Waterbodies include lakes, ponds, playas, and reservoirs, which when combined would cover nearly 1,000 acres in the forest.
Water Quality
The quality of water within the Santa Fe National Forest is generally high and is used both in and outside of the forest for many purposes.
Causes of Impairment of the Santa Fe National Forest streams
- Turbidity, sedimentation, and specific conductance (affecting 3%)
- Nutrients and eutrophication (affecting 3%)
- Aluminum (affecting 2%)
- Water temperature (affecting 2%)
Watershed Condition
The Santa Fe National Forest follows the Forest Service’s Watershed Condition Framework (WCF) to assess watershed condition and identify priority watersheds. Condition assessments include three categories:
- Properly Functioning
- Functioning at Risk
- Impaired Function.
Air Resources
Human health and environmental standards are defined in the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for six common pollutants that are harmful to public health and the environment: carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, sulfur dioxide, and particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5). PM10 is particulate matter with a diameter of 10 micrometers or less and PM2.5 is particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less.
Air quality in the Santa Fe National Forest, and its importance to humans and the environment, can be measured in the forest in three important ways: concentrations of pollution in the air, visibility, and deposition of pollution onto the forest.
Air Quality Conditions
Air quality and visibility conditions in the Santa Fe NF are within regulatory levels and the trends based on projected emission inventories appear to be stable or improving for most pollutants.
Air Quality Information
The USDA Forest Service and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have partnered to create an AirNow air quality fire and smoke map to help you protect yourself and loved ones from wildland fire and smoke.
Smoke Management
Information about smoke management and protecting human life as a priority from the National Interagency Fire Center.
Actions to Reduce Exposure
Learn about actions you can take to reduce your risk to wildfire smoke exposure.
Soil Resources
Soil is a complex and dynamic system consisting of a mineral component, organic matter, air, water, and various soil organisms that, together, support life. Properly functioning soil systems cycle nutrients, water, and energy within forest and grassland ecosystems. Because of their slow rate of formation, soils are essentially a non-renewable resource.
Soil condition is based on three soil functions: (1) the ability of the soil to resist erosion, (2) the ability of the soil to infiltrate water, and (3) the ability of the soil to recycle nutrients. Soil condition provides an overall picture of soil health vital in sustaining ecosystems.
Soil Condition
Soil condition categories reflect soil disturbances resulting from management or natural and human caused disturbances. There are four soil condition categories:
- Satisfactory
- Impaired
- Unsatisfactory
- Unsuited
Currently, approximately 77 percent of the Santa Fe National Forest is rated in satisfactory soil condition, 18 percent unsatisfactory and 5 percent unsuited.