Posts Tagged ‘water future’
From the President’s Desk: Water Resilience, Powerful Politicians, and 10-Year Outcomes
While many steps are being taken in the right direction, we are short on reliable facts, trusted data, and funding; and long on misinformation. The Governor’s water leadership focus is badwater treatment, justified by oil and gas industry disinformation. The opportunity costs of this focus are unacceptable. The State of New Mexico must instead focus on stewardship of the good water that we have.
Read MoreRainwater Catchment: a Path Back to Traditional Farming
The recently articulated vision of the Honoring Water Group, an informal citizen’s group meeting at Zuni, Vanderwagen and Gallup is: “Abundant water, respected and treated ethically. When water is honored as sacred, mutual flourishing is possible.” This citizen’s group, with much organizational support from James and Joyce Skeet of Vanderwagen, seeks to honor and protect water in…
Read MoreFrom the President’s Desk: Addressing New Mexico’s Water Crisis by Adequately Funding the Prerequisites to Data-Driven Water Governance
This ongoing mismanagement of vital water data hampers effective decision-making needed to address the state’s water crisis.
New Mexico is at a crossroads. Without a significant shift towards a water governance framework that recognizes and integrates hydrologic and climate realities with actionable data, parts of the state risk becoming uninhabitable. This shift requires a departure from the Legislature’s practice of passing laws without funding their implementation. It is imperative that the Governor’s Office and the Legislature fully commit to funding the necessary changes outlined in the 2019 Water Data Act and the 2023 Water Security Planning Act. Only through such transformative changes can New Mexico hope to secure a sustainable water future for all its regions and residents.
From the President’s Desk: Water Policy Progress and Tipping Points
On April 9, 2024, I witnessed a significant step forward in local government’s approach to water policies crucial for New Mexico’s future. Bernalillo County elected officials and staff have clearly acknowledged in a draft high-level plan that water poses a constraint. This marks the first official acknowledgment of hydrologic reality in Bernalillo County in a long time.
Read MoreLos Lunas – Niagara Bottled Water
NM Acequia Association came bringing signs that read, “Agua es Vida” and brightly painted shovels painted with the patron saint of the acequias, San Ysidro, which they bring out when there are times of drought. Dabi Garcia said, “This is a time when our community is under threat.” He then sang a traditional acequia song, keeping the beat on the shovel handle.
Read MoreWhat is Interactional Capacity
Of course, we don’t often have the luxury of such abundance, but that connection—and potential for deepening connection—remains even at the driest of times. As I have entered the New Mexico “water world” as a young professional, I have been comforted and inspired by the deep and natural reverence New Mexicans have for water.
Read MoreMillions of Dollars Available for New Mexico Water System Improvement Projects
Does your water system need improvement? Repairs, expansion, regionalization, storage, treatment to remove contaminants, new pipes, replacement of lead? Millions of dollars in loans, at low interest and the potential to have most or all of the principal forgiven. Read this guest post from the New Mexico Environment Department.
Read MoreSpending on an Unstrategic Badwater Not-Much-of-a-Supply
The so-called strategic water supply is the opposite, like “produced water” as a name for toxic oil field waste. It is not beginning with the end in mind. It is not putting first things first. It is not informed by facts and science. It is unvetted. It is wrong.
Read MoreFrom the President’s Desk: Sweetwater
The sweet waters of New Mexico are necessary for all life in our beloved state, in all our home places, our querencias. An acerbic senior ISC water engineer told me 25 years ago that we know where New Mexico’s water is. It is where we live, irrigate, water livestock, hunt and fish, and enjoy our heritage. He didn’t need to say “sweetwater”.
Read MoreThe Dilemma of Being A Small Urban Irrigator
The first time I irrigated it felt like a miracle. I could almost hear the gratitude of the trees soaking up the much-needed water. I am grateful to live on the watered side of the street.
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