RIO GRANDE WATER RESOURCES CAN ADJUST EQUITABLY TO MUNICIPAL NEEDS IF WE PLAN WISELY, OPENLY AND ARE INNOVATIVE

Albuquerque lies in a major rift valley that contains the Rio Grande and a world-class valley-fill aquifer up to 14,000 feet thick beneath the city. The river's interstate water deliveries are specified by compact among Colorado, New Mexico and Texas. Irrigation causes the greatest human consumption of river water. New Mexicans have long known their priority-based water rights oversubscribe flows of wet water. Growing municipal demand has been satisfied by pumping groundwater. Albuquerque mines 70,000 acre-feet of groundwater annually. Its large wells have lowered the water table more than 150 feet under the city's extensive northeast quadrant, and tens of feet under the river floodplain. Modest subsidence has started. The depressed water table reduces river flows. This exacerbates downstream water deliveries mandated by compact. In 2008 the Regional Water Authority will begin substituting imported surface water for the groundwater going to consumers, thereby reducing mining. The imported water will come from the city's share of Colorado River water brought in since 1975 through the San Juan-Chama Project. After about 2035, population growth will again require mining. As cities grow, acceptable ways must be found to transfer wet water to them. Sources may include suppressed lake evaporation, aggressive tamarisk control, low-water-use/high-value farming, and others. Defining these will require innovative thinking and wise planning. Implementing them will require leadership and vision – also money. (But, for the state, inaction could prove very costly.) There's no silver bullet. Think innovation. Then insist that the public identify New Mexico characteristics that should be preserved.