Archive for April 2021
Water Authority Pamphlet “Drought 2021”
Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority has published a newspaper insert “Drought 2021” addressing the water situation and the agency’s activities during the pandemic. It presents some facts and Water Authority perspectives and PR: • What it means for Albuquerque and Bernalillo County• What you can do to help save water this spring and summer•…
Read More“Water Risks Grow Across the Southwest”
AZCentral, part of the USA Today Network, has published “As hotter, drier climate grips the Colorado River, water risks grow across the Southwest” addressing effects of climate change in the area. The water level of Lake Mead, the country’s largest reservoir, has dropped more than 130 feet since the beginning of 2000, when the lake’s…
Read MoreThe Scorecard on ABQ Sprawl
Seven years ago, the New Mexico Mercury published The Scorecard on ABQ Sprawl, an article by Lora Lucero, a land use attorney, city planner, community gardener and community journalist. The article addresses the egregious disconnect between land use planning and water use planning in the Albuquerque area. How much has changed? The Albuquerque region has…
Read MoreWater Data 101 Guidebook
Internet of Water has published Data 101 as a guidebook for water data users and decision makers. Around the globe and here in the United States, water challenges are mounting. As climate change, population growth, and other drivers of water stress increase, decision makers at every level of society—from governors, to reservoir operators, to city…
Read MoreEast Mountain Fire & Water Issues – Town Hall Meeting
Bernalillo County Commissioner Charlene Pyskoty will be holding a Town Hall Meeting starting at 5:30 pm on Thursday, April 29, 2021. The session will address water shortage problems in the mountains east of Albuquerque. With the ongoing drought and depletion of our aquifers, we need opportunities to share concerns, information, and ideas on fire and…
Read MoreWater Can Be Wrung Out Too Much
The Durango Herald has published “Water can be wrung out too much” by Denise Fort, professor emerita at the University of New Mexico School of Law, addressing Santa Fe, New Mexico’s growing demand for water and potential reuse thereof. Santa Fe once was sustained by the waters of the Santa Fe River, which begins in the…
Read MoreMRGWA’s Past President Joins New Mexico First
On April 5, 2021, New Mexico First announced that MRGWA’s past President, Theresa Cardenas, will now be serving as the Strategic Civic Engagement and Policy Manager for New Mexico First. We appreciate her years of service and guidance with the Middle Rio Grande Water Advocates and wish her well in her new and surely challenging…
Read MoreState engineer pauses groundwater permits
The Albuquerque Journal published “State engineer pauses groundwater permits” in its April 4, 2021 issue, addressing oil and gas use of fresh water in southeastern New Mexico. Following are excerpts of the article plus additional related information. State Engineer John D’Antonio has restricted new groundwater permits in three basins of far southeastern New Mexico to study…
Read MoreGoing to the MAT for Water Management along the Middle Rio Grande
Concern is building on how the multiple years of annually low mountain snowpack and extended durations of drought are combining to cause decreasing water supply to the Rio Grande and other NM rivers. Accompanying these concerns is the recognition that improved approaches and methods to achieve effective and innovative water management practices are needed to…
Read MoreMarch 2021 Update on the Projected Water Operations for the MRG
As discussed in the Water Advocates’ blog posting for the Minnow Action Team (MAT), the interim March 2021 Projected Annual Operating Plan (AOP) for the Middle Rio Grande (MRG) was presented during the MAT Meeting on 31 March 2021. The following briefly summarizes that presentation. The March URGWOM projections are based on observed snowpack water…
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