THIS SPRING OR DURING SUMMER MONTHS, YOU PROBABLY HAVE SEEN FLOODWATERS RIPPING DOWN THE NORTH DIVISION CHANNEL, A HUGE CONCRETE CHANNEL THAT RUNS NEAR INTERSTATE 40.

THE ALBUQUERQUE METROPOLITAN ARROYO FLOOD CONTROL AUTHORITY OR AMAFCA, IS THE AGENCY IN CHARGE OF IT.

IT IS KIND OF AN EMBARRASSING THING TO SAY I AM AMAFCA.

WHO IS AMAFCA?

WE DO THE TUMBLEWEED SNOWMAN.

THAT IS JERRY LOVATO, EXECUTIVE ENGINEER.

AND AMAFCA'S REAL JOB IS TO PROTECT THE CITY FROM FLOODING.

AMAFCA WAS CREATED IN 1963.

THE IDEA WAS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY BECAUSE THAT IS OUR MISSION BUT DO IT AS QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE.

WE GRAB THE WATER, DIVERT IT AND GET IT TO THE RIVER AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.

THAT WORKED OUT REALLY WELL UNTIL ABOUT THE MID 1980'S.

WHEN STORM WATER MOVES THROUGH A CITY IT CARRIES TRASH AND SEDIMENT AND PICKS UP THINGS LIKE OILS AND GASOLINE, PCB'S AND PESTICIDES WHICH CAUGHT THE ATTENTION OF THE WATER QUALITY REGULATORS.

THEY TOLD AMAFCA IT NEEDED TO CLEAN THE WATER BEFORE DISCHARGING S IT INTO THE RIO GRANDE AND THAT MEANT SLOWING THE WATER DOWN.

WATER IS MOVING EXTREMELY FAST.

WHEN WATER IS PASSING YOU BY AT 30 FEET PER SECOND, IT IS VERY HARD TO TRY TO CLEAN IT BEFORE IT GETS TO THE RIVER.

SO, WE WERE TRYING TO SLOW IT DOWN OR TAKE IT OFFLINE.

AT THE SAME TIME THAT AMAFCA WAS TRYING TO MEET FEDERAL WATER QUALITY STANDARDS, IT HIT A BUMP, UNDER STATE LAW, AND THE LAW THAT GOVERNS HOW WATER IS SHARED.

AMAFCA COULDN'T HOLD ON TO THE WATER FOR MORE THAN 96 HOURS.

IT COULDN'T LET THE WATER JUST POUR INTO THE RIVER BUT WITHOUT A RIGHT TO THE WATER, THEY HAD TO KEEP IT MOVING.

SINCE 2012, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HOLD THAT WATER IN A SERIES OF PROJECTS.

INSTEAD OF JUST HOLDING IT IN ONE SPOT WE NOW HOLD IT IN ONE SPOT AND THEN HOLD IT AGAIN AND GO DOWN STREAM AGAIN TO HOLD THAT WATER TO TRY TO CLEAN IT AND RUN IT THROUGH BIO SWALES AND SOME OTHER FACILITIES JUST TO CLEAN THAT WATER.

OVER TIME ENGINEERS HAVE HAD TO CHANGE THE WAY THEY THINK ABOUT STORM WATER.

SO, OUR STORY TAKES US HERE TO THE SOUTH VALLEY AND RAVEN POND.

I AM STANDING BASICALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF RAVEN POND REALLY A GORGEOUS REFUGE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CITY FOR NOT ONLY STORM WATER AND STORM WATER QUALITY BUT ALSO A GREAT PLACE FOR BIRDS AND WILDLIFE.

NOLAN BENNETT IS A FIELD ENGINEER WITH AMAFCA.

SAYS THEY WORK ON LOW IMPACT DESIGNS WHEN AND WHERE THAT IS POSSIBLE.

RIGHT NEXT TO US THERE IS 10'S OF THOUSANDS OF TADPOLES IN OUR DRAIN CHANNELS THAT WE HAVE IN THIS FACILITY AND SOON EGRETS WILL BE OUT EATING ALL THESE LITTLE FROGS AND IT IS A GREAT THING TO WATCH.

ABOUT FOUR YEARS OLD, THIS FACILITY HAS TAKEN SOME WORK.

PREVIOUSLY IT WAS FARMLAND.

NOW THERE IS A WALKING TRAIL AND AMAFCA HAS TRIED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SMELL OF ALGAE IN THE WATER DOESN'T BOTHER NEIGHBORS.

THE WINDMILL000 HERE IS USED TO AERATE THE STREAM.

WE USE SOME PLANTS AND WILLOWS THAT HAVE COME OUT OF THIS FACILITY TO PLANT ON OUR OTHER FACILITIES.

THE WILLOWS ARE GREAT TO LOOK AT AND PROVIDES HABITAT BUT IT ALSO US TO CATCH TRASH AND OTHER DEBRIS COMING INTO OUR OTHER FACILITIES.

THE NORTH DIVERSION CHANNEL, FOR INSTANCE, DRAINS ABOUT 100 SQUARE MILES OF THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE AND WHEN YOU HAVE THAT AMOUNT OF MATERIAL COMING DOWN AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT OUR SYSTEM WE USE THOSE WILLOWS TO TRAP TRASH AND DEBRIS.

INSTEAD OF SEEING STORM WATER AS A NUISANCE IT CAN BE A RESOURCE.

IDEALLY IT COULD BE SLOWED AND CLEANED AND USED IN IRRIGATION CANALS.

OR THE FLOOD CONTROL AGENCY AND THE DRINKING WATER AUTHORITY CAN WORK TOGETHER TO LET WATER PERCOLATE INTO THE GROUND AND HELP RESTORE AQUIFER LEVELS.

WHEN IT COMES TO STORM WATER, THERE ARE THINGS WE CAN ALL DO TO MAKE SURE IT IS AS CLEAN AS IT CAN BE.

WE COLLECT COUCHES, WEDDING DRESSES.

DEAD CARCASSES, CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS, ALL KINDS OF STUFF GETS THROWN INTO CHANNELS BECAUSE IT IS A WAY PEOPLE JUST GET RID OF THINGS.

IT WOULD HELP US IF THEY WOULD TAKE A FEW SECONDS AND THINK ABOUT WHERE THEY ARE DUMPING THEIR MATERIALS BECAUSE IT WILL END UP IN THE RIVER.

STORM WATER UNPREDICTABLE.

YOU DON'T ALWAYS KNOW WHEN STORMS WILL COME OR HOW MUCH RAIN THEY BRING.

ONE THING IS CERTAIN, WHILE EVERYTHING AROUND ALBUQUERQUE SEEMS TO BE MOVING FASTER, FLOOD CONTROL EXPERTS SAY THERE IS A LOT OF WATER TO BE GAINED BY TAKING IT SLOW.

FOR NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS, AND OUR LAND, I AM LAURA PASKUS.