New Mexico Water Dialogue:
Persistent Themes and a Unified Direction
Join the New Mexico Water Dialogue for the 31th Annual Meeting at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque. Shared themes of New Mexicans concerned about water and Persistent New Mexico themes over time and across the state and the need for a unified direction are the focus. Thoughtful presentations will cover diverse aspects of regional water planning. Afternoon breakout groups will discuss how the groundwater management framework offered in the New Mexico 360 Groundwater Report “fits into regional water planning.” We hope to see you there!
For more than 20 years, Laura Paskus has written and produced stories about New Mexico’s rivers, including the Middle Rio Grande. Join us for a presentation and conversation about what she’s learned along the way — not just about climate change and water challenges, but about love, political courage, and connection.
Join us for a must-attend briefing for Middle Rio Grande residents. Cumulative under deliveries to Elephant Butte Reservoir are approaching the Rio Grande Compact limit. That makes this region the center of a potential new Compact violation.
State Engineer General Counsel Nat Chakeres and Interstate Stream Commission Director Hannah Riseley-White will present the State’s plans to increase deliveries and prevent that outcome. Topics include why State action is required, a groundwater-metering order, which wells will be exempted, and other measures to reduce Middle Rio Grande depletions and get more water to Elephant Butte Reservoir.
Hear directly from the State Engineer’s top advisors. Learn what actions are planned that could affect local water use and get your your questions answered.
Join us to learn the facts and about actions New Mexico must take to increase the resilience of New Mexico’s heavily used groundwater from Gretel Follingstad, Ph.D. and Maurice Hall, Ph.D., from the Environmental Defense Fund. Gretel and Maurice are authors along with six other co-authors, of the New Mexico Groundwater Alliance’s excellent 2026 New Mexico 360
Groundwater Report. The report shows us where we are and what we need to do to build groundwater resilience and longevity.
“By taking a deeper dive into New Mexico’s groundwater history and current challenges this report elevates the increasing urgency of groundwater declines in various areas of New Mexico. … The New Mexico 360 Groundwater Report is intended to elevate and educate New Mexicans about the urgency of statewide groundwater declines and serve as a call to action for proactive management to avoid a looming groundwater crisis.
Join us to learn State water agency legislation and funding needs to confront New Mexico’s water crises by funding essential work that only the State can do. The Office of the State Engineer / Interstate Stream Commission budget request is a cry for help. Bureau of Geology groundwater science and data programs must be funded to characterize the state’s groundwater resources, both fresh and brackish. The Environment Department requires statutory authority to assume State control of water pollution discharge regulation abandoned by the feds. An invited speaker will summarize the proposed Clear Horizons Act to limit greenhouse gas emissions.
Join us to learn about Project Jupiter — a 1,000 megaWatt data center fast-tracked in Santa Teresa by Doña Ana County officials. A poorly understood and nontransparent amendment passed by the legislature this year made Project Jupiter possible. Local and state governments are promoting this development while ignoring its water supply, air pollution, and carbon footprint impacts. Hear State Representatives speak out about the betrayal of their communities and the hard truth of finding water in the Lower Rio Grande.
The severe, rapidly accumulating water debt under the Rio Grande Compact and the controversial push by companies to establish water-intensive Data Centers and produced (fracking) water in the state are worsening our water crisis. Learn exactly how the state’s chronic neglect of the Compact is impacting all of us and discover how data centers will drain our already over-allocated aquifers. Join us to understand the stakes, understand overuse, and the preposterous proposed uses of our limited water supply. We’ll conclude with specific, immediate actions citizens can take to demand enforcement and to protect our water supply from further political and corporate abuse.
Join us for an important discussion about the proposed water rights transfer by Niagara, PNM, and Village of Los Lunas. Teresa Smith de Cherif of Valencia Soil & Water Conservation Board and Kathy McCord of Valencia Water Watchers will help us understand how this proposed transfer goes against New Mexico water law, doesn’t conserve water, and violates the public welfare. This application is about yet another corporation putting profit and greed above the good of the land, water, and people of New Mexico.
Learn from NM watershed advocates how riparian, wetland and upland forest/landscape restoration improve overall watershed function. Natural water shortage is an indicators of overall watershed functionality with important implications for human water use. In our time of increasing aridification watershed restoration is a key element in statewide water management and use. Healthy watersheds are critical not only for clean water for human consumption but also provide essential habitat for wildlife by creating a diverse ecosystem.