SANTA FE, NM – The New Mexico State Parks Division is seeking public input on the San Juan River portion of its Navajo Lake State Park Management Plan with a new survey. The five-year plan is in the process of being updated through the year 2030.
“Thousands of visitors flock to Navajo Lake State Park and the San Juan River each year as an outstanding outdoor recreational area and world-class fly-fishing destination,” said Toby Velasquez, State Parks Director. “A management plan for the park, and the portion of the river inside the park, is essential in guiding us toward short-term and long-range goals that will help sustain the park for generations to come. The public must be a part of this process and we welcome their input through our survey, so that we may incorporate their ideas into the management plan.”
The San Juan River originates from snowmelt high in the San Juan Mountains of southern Colorado, near Wolf Creek Pass. It then travels 355 miles west into New Mexico and the Navajo Lake reservoir in San Juan and Rio Arriba Counties before joining the Colorado River at Glen Canyon, and finally ending in Lake Powell, Utah.
Navajo Lake is the second largest lake in New Mexico, with multiple campgrounds, two marinas, and two boat docks. It’s a haven for boaters, canoers, kayakers, water skiers, and sailors. The San Juan River is a mecca for fly fishing and features a campground, day-use areas, and a serene trail along the river.
The survey can be accessed by clicking or copying the link below into a browser or scanning the following QR code. There are 23 questions that will take about 10-15 minutes to complete. The survey will be open through July 31, 2024.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NLSPsanjuanriver
State Park management plans are intended to assist in planning for both short-term and long-range program development and capital improvement projects, to function as a tool to guide decisions and management; as a reference that documents park history, facts, and conditions; as a tool for identifying land use within a park’s boundary; and as a guide for capital improvements.
If you have any questions about the Navajo Lake State Park River Management Plan, please contact Joey Fleming, Park Planner at joseph.fleming@emnrd.nm.gov.
New Mexico State Parks is a division of the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department. Our mission is to protect and enhance natural and cultural resources, provide first-class recreational and education facilities and opportunities, and promote public safety to benefit and enrich the lives of visitors.