Betsy Diaz

New Mexico, the state with the least surface water, is facing a worsening water crisis. Since 1985, 25% of the Rio Grande’s water has been lost; experts predict similar lor greater losses in surface and groundwater by 2070. Rising temperatures intensify soil aridity, evaporation, and plant transpiration, further reducing water availability. Meanwhile, agricultural demands, industrial use, and reliance on dwindling aquifers continue to strain the state’s water supply. Despite water flowing from faucets today, New Mexico’s water crisis is a present and growing reality that requires urgent collective action.

The Need for Education to Secure Funding for Water Laws

Although New Mexico has enacted essential water management laws, many remain unfunded or only partially funded. Public and legislative education is crucial to build the political will necessary to fund these initiatives, which include:

• The 2023 Water Security Planning Act (WSPA): Establishes regional water planning Councils under the Interstate Stream Commission (ISC). Needs full funding.
• The 2019 Water Data Act: Supports water data collection to model availability and plan for future resilience. Needs partial funding.
• Aquifer Mapping: Critical for planning, monitoring, and measuring available fresh and brackish groundwater. Needs partial funding.
• The 2004 Active Water Resource Management Program (AWRM): Utilize water rights enforcement authority the Legislature passed in 2003 to ensure New Mexico meets its Rio Grande Compact water delivery obligations.

Without adequate funding, these efforts remain incomplete, leaving the state vulnerable to worsening water shortages. Education is essential to mobilize public and legislative support for full implementation.

Understanding the Water Crisis: The Need for a Paradigm Shift

Public awareness of water scarcity remains low, especially in areas where taps still run freely. Many do not realize that New Mexico is overusing its water resources, including accumulating debt under the Rio Grande Compact, which requires delivering water for all uses downstream from Elephant Butte Dam and limiting New Mexico’s uses of that water to its legal share. The Middle Rio Grande’s overuse and resulting water debt prevent upstream storage of Rio Chama water for later release.  Without storage releases, the people depend solely on monsoon rains.

To foster sustainable water practices, New Mexicans must shift their perspective, recognizing water as a finite, cycling resource rather than an unlimited commodity. Understanding the long history of water formation—such as the 3-6 million years it took for the Ogallala Aquifer to develop—reinforces the need for careful and respectful use of water.

Lessons from Local Communities

Several New Mexico communities have already faced severe water crises and adapted accordingly:

• Santa Fe: Residents changed their water habits following stringent restrictions imposed during severe shortages. They continue to conserve water proactively, treating it as a limited resource.
• Clovis: After learning of its rapidly depleting Ogallala Aquifer, the city organized a water sustainability effort. Led by Dr. Ladona Clayton, residents partnered with Cannon Air Force Base and ranchers to implement rain catchment, conservation, leak repair, and monitoring efforts. Grants, including funding from the Department of Defense, have supported long-term water planning and resilience initiatives.
• Portales: Lacking similar organized efforts, Portales has been under Level 3 water restrictions for an extended period, severely impacting families, businesses, and city services.
• Regional Collaboration: Dr. Clayton and the Ogallala Conservancy have expanded their water resilience efforts to southeastern New Mexico and East Texas through regional water institutes.

These examples highlight how proactive water management can prevent crisis conditions and should serve as models for the rest of the state.

Existing Public Education Efforts

Various organizations and agencies provide water education in New Mexico:

• State Agencies: The Office of the State Engineer (OSE) has conservation programs, and the Interstate Stream Commission (ISC) hosted statewide open houses in 2024, gathering input and answering questions on water planning.
• Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Authority: Offers conservation education for residents, landscapers, and students.
• The Water Dialogue: Holds annual conferences on water issues.
• Amigos Bravos & NM Acequia Association: Advocate for water rights, create public awareness campaigns, and produce educational media.
• NM Water Advocates (NMWA): Hosts monthly workshops featuring experts on water management, policy, and legislation, with recordings and resources available online.

Despite these efforts, many New Mexicans remain unaware of the state’s water crisis or how to engage in solutions. Expanding and coordinating educational outreach is essential.

Educating Legislators: Building Support for Action

Legislators’ knowledge and priorities vary widely. Some recognize the crisis and have sponsored critical legislation, while others remain skeptical, delaying funding for solutions. Strategies to educate and engage lawmakers include:

• Professional Training: NM Tech provides legislators with data-driven aquifer analysis and graphic-rich presentations.
• On-Site Learning: Senator Mimi Stewart has organized educational sessions along the Rio Grande, allowing legislators to experience the river’s conditions firsthand.
• Constituent Advocacy: New Mexicans must inform their representatives about local water shortages, conservation efforts, and funding needs. Reports of dried-up wells, farming restrictions, trucked-in water, and severe restrictions in rural communities can help legislators grasp the crisis’s real-world impacts.

Public pressure is a powerful tool in driving legislative action. Constituents who share their experiences can help lawmakers understand the urgency of fully funding water security initiatives.

Grassroots Water Conservation Efforts

New Mexicans are adopting a variety of conservation measures:

• Urban Adaptations: Residents install drip irrigation, xeriscaping, rain catchment systems, and composting toilets. Some use gray water for plants, reduce red meat consumption (which requires significant water for production), and buy second-hand clothing to minimize water-intensive textile manufacturing.
• Innovative Farming Practices: The Spirit Farm, near Gallup, uses regenerative farming with trucked-in catchment water. James and Joyce Skeets teach conservation techniques, composting, and sustainable agriculture methods.
• Community Projects: The Little Sisters of the Poor showcase modern rain catchment systems. Zuni Pueblo is organizing 2025 Water Conferences to promote regional water sustainability efforts with the Honoring Water Group.

These individual and community actions demonstrate that water conservation is both necessary and achievable.

Preparing for the Future: Workforce and Education Development

New Mexico must expand its water management workforce to implement regional water planning and conservation initiatives effectively. Recommended steps include:

• Higher Education Programs: NM Tech and other institutions should develop degree tracks in advanced water planning, management, and community engagement.
• Community College & Journeyman Training: Establish hands-on training for infrastructure repair, water monitoring, and conservation system implementation.
• Public & Decision-Maker Education: Workshops should educate officials and the public on becoming informed participants in regional water planning efforts.

Conclusion: A Call to Action

New Mexico is already in a growing Water Crisis.  Without immediate action, communities across NM will face severe water shortages, restrictions and economic hardship.  It is critical that legislators, water professionals, governing officials and residents respond thoughtfully instead of reacting without thoughtful consideration of what will help and hurt NM’s water crisis.  We must work together to make the regional water security planning program all that the law allows and New Mexican’s need it to be.  Rational water planning will help regional councils work together to develop systematic fact-based solutions to increase community water supplies resilience. Our planning process must consider  multiple perspectives and responsive group interactions, which improve decision making processes even when voting is necessary.  These skills also are essential in securing funding to more fully implement existing water laws, foster a culture of conservation, and prepare a more resilient water future for our communities.

New Mexicans must act now to ensure a sustainable water supply for future generations. By embracing a culture of stewardship, advocating for policy change, and adopting responsible water practices, we can collectively build a water-secure New Mexico.