Climate Fix Blog

Healthy rivers are central to New Mexico’s environment, communities, culture, and economy. Water nourishes the bosque – the riverside forest that serves as an oasis in the desert for painted turtles, blue herons, bald eagles, red foxes, elk, and numerous other species. It also gives life to the state’s historic network of the irrigation canals that uphold our farming traditions. Water drives our economy and outdoor recreation, supporting everything from the state’s famous chile to fishing and boating.

Yet all these things are under threat.  New Mexico is expecting a 25% reduction in streamflow over the next 50 years. Meeting the state’s water needs is only getting harder, and rivers are feeling the strain. Fortunately, the state has a tool that can help protect our rivers, but we must make sure it has the resources it needs to succeed.

Twenty years ago, an overwhelming majority of the New Mexico Legislature voted to create the Strategic Water Reserve to buy, lease, or accept donated water and keep that water in rivers for the benefit of New Mexicans and the environment.

The New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission administers the Reserve and may:

• Buy, lease, or accept donated water from willing sellers, lessors, or donors for the Reserve.
• Use water in the Reserve to ensure the state can fulfill its legal water sharing obligations.
• Use water in the Reserve to benefit threatened or endangered species or to prevent future listings.

This month marks the start of the New Mexico legislative session. And it is clear that water can’t wait. That is why we’re working to pass Senate Bill 37, which will make much needed improvements to the Reserve.

Protect the Reserve’s funding

We must make sure the Reserve has the funding it needs to succeed. The Reserve has been underfunded over the last 17 years and much of the money it received either expired or was pulled back into the general fund before the state could spend it. Buying or leasing water is a complex process that can take several years.

This lack of consistent funding has caused the state to miss critical opportunities to protect our water. For example, in 2022 a closing dairy near Socorro wanted to sell its water to the Reserve. This water would have flowed south through the Rio Grande along the in central New Mexico, supporting critical habitat for migratory birds and local tourism. It also would have helped the state meet its legal obligations under interstate water agreements. Unfortunately, New Mexico lost out when the dairy moved to another buyer because the state did not have sufficient funding in-hand to purchase the water.

Most people wouldn’t sell their car to someone without proof of financing. Similarly, we cannot expect families, small businesses, and other water rights holders to sell or lease their water to the Reserve without guaranteed compensation.

Senate Bill 37 establishes a non-reverting fund – where money is set aside for the Reserve and cannot expire – so that water rights sellers and lessors can be confident that they will be paid for their water.

Allowing the Reserve to protect groundwater supplies

Nearly half of all water used in New Mexico comes from groundwater, which is water that has soaked into the earth and is stored in fractured rock and the spaces between sand and gravel. Pumping out groundwater faster than it can be replenished can permanently damage our supply and cause wells to run dry. Increasing stream flows in certain areas and reducing groundwater pumping supports healthy bosques and replenishes groundwater to help sustain our communities in a drying climate.

Senate Bill 37 expands the Reserve so that it may acquire water to protect groundwater supplies and stream flows.

Ensuring the Reserve can benefit recreation and cultural uses

Currently, the Reserve is limited to providing water for threatened or endangered species, preventing new species listings, and maintaining compliance with interstate agreements. But it can do so much more. When we leave water in rivers, it benefits both the environment and outdoor recreation activities like fishing, boating, and swimming. By allowing the Interstate Stream Commission to consider supplementary benefits, like recreation and cultural uses, we can and ensure our communities get the most out of every drop of water we keep in our rivers. For example, water acquired to keep a stream running in the summer to benefit endangered species could also benefit recreational fishing or summer rafting flows. Similarly, water acquired for wildlife might also keep a minimum flow in a smaller stream, leading to more efficient acequia operations. Senate Bill 37 prioritizes projects that serve multiple purposes at once as the state reviews which water rights to acquire.

The Strategic Water Reserve has enormous potential. Other state leaders in the West are watching as they consider developing their own programs to protect rivers. If New Mexico gets this right, the Reserve could be a model for the region. By passing Senate Bill 37 to address funding challenges and program limitations, we can make sure the Reserve benefits our rivers and communities.