Join us to see groundwater in a different light. New Mexicans depend more on groundwater than residents of any other state. Despite groundwater’s importance to New Mexico’s economy, communities, agriculture, and ecosystems, proactive management of groundwater in the state is the exception, rather than the rule. Learn why and how we must be more proactive and maintain and manage our aquifers and groundwater for sustained use, and learn about how groundwater management is evolving across the West. Bring any and all questions about groundwater, and let’s have a lively discussion about this hidden and “magical” resource.
Effective democratic governance of New Mexico's water resources requires more than good intentions — it requires shared vocabulary. Drawing on Elinor Ostrom's Governing the Commons and subsequent scholarship, this essay clarifies what water advocates mean by institutions, collective action, and polycentric governance, and why getting these concepts right matters for building durable, self-governing arrangements across […]