BLUEWATER, N.M. – Bluewater Lake State Park is set to receive approximately $150,000 in public Wi-Fi improvements aimed at providing more reliable internet access for visitors and park operations.
The project will establish high-speed Wi-Fi at several of the park’s most heavily used locations, including the visitor center and its parking area, described as the eastside park entrance and the eastside boat ramp parking area by the New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion.
The service will be free for members of the public with valid access to the park.
State officials said internet connectivity and 4G wireless service at Bluewater Lake and in surrounding communities is currently limited and inconsistent.
The new system is intended to provide a stable internet connection for visitors and nearby community members who may need access for work, education or health monitoring. It will also support park operations and law enforcement.
Bluewater Lake hosts approximately 100,000 visitors annually, according to OBAE.
The Bluewater Lake improvements are part of a larger statewide effort to expand public Wi-Fi at New Mexico State Parks. The Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department’s State Parks Division received approximately $3.72 million through OBAE’s American Rescue Plan Act Community Wi-Fi Project.
The State Parks project is intended to expand broadband infrastructure at central gathering locations across 35 state parks, particularly in areas near rural communities where internet and cellular connectivity can be limited.
The grants require projects to provide minimum speeds of 100 megabits per second for downloads and 20 megabits per second for uploads.
OBAE said the Bluewater Lake funding is being distributed as part of an effort to spread improvements across the state while maximizing public benefit.
The state has not provided a specific installation date for the Bluewater Lake system. Projects funded through the program must be completed by Dec. 31, 2026.
OBAE said separate federally funded broadband projects have also been undertaken in the area by Sacred Wind Communications and Continental Divide Electric Cooperative. The broadband office has said its broader goal is to eventually connect every New Mexico home, business and institution to high-speed internet.