A discussion with Nat Chakeres, OSE General Counsel, and Tanya Trujillo, Deputy State Engineer, discussing how the OSE is managing Rio Grande Compact compliance in the Middle Rio Grande and below Elephant Butte Dam in the Lower Rio Grande. Learn about incentives and motivators that the OSE can use to ensure that New Mexico complies with its legal water sharing mandates.
The Interstate Stream Commission’s proposed rule to implement New Mexico’s Water Security Planning Act overreaches its legal bounds and undermines regional authority. This article exposes the rule’s structural flaws—and offers a better path forward: pause rulemaking, empower local councils, and restore lawful, science-based water planning across the state.