A Crisis Year for Water Begins
This is shaping up to be one of the driest years on record. Snowpack across the Rio Grande basin is near record lows. Elephant Butte Reservoir is very low; Elephant Butte Irrigation District farmers are expecting a four-inch 2026 irrigation allotment. Increased river flows from a big October headwaters storm, combined with the end of the Middle Rio Grande irrigation season and a large December block release from Rio Chama Reservoirs, significantly improved the Middle Rio Grande’s end-of-year compact deliveries — yet more than a fourth of that water was lost in conveyance before reaching the reservoir pool. Middle Rio Grande cumulative water delivery debt is now approaching the Rio Grande Compact’s legal cap. Texas will certainly sue when that debt limit is exceeded, if not before, bringing new U.S. Supreme Court litigation to the Middle Rio Grande.
The Middle Rio Grande Compact Crisis
The State Engineer and Interstate Stream Commission Director have named the Middle Rio Grande compact compliance situation as a crisis. The Middle Rio Grande is on a trajectory to violate the Compact within two or three years. State Engineer Elizabeth Anderson will violate state water law at Section 72-2-9.1 NMSA 1978 if her continued inaction allows that to occur. The ISC will fail to meet its mission to do everything within its broad powers to conserve and protect New Mexico water.
Join Us March 19 — Hear the State’s Plan
That is why our March 19 workshop Middle Rio Grande Compact Crisis is a must-attend event for every Middle Rio Grande resident. State Engineer General Counsel Nat Chakeres and ISC Director Hannah Riseley-White will present the State’s current hydrologic picture, including New Mexico’s Rio Grande Compact status and what it means for Tribal, agricultural, and municipal water users. The State is pursuing conservation, conveyance improvements, and expanded administration — and as Hannah writes, “working closely with major water users to develop creative solutions to meet needs while maintaining compliance with our legal obligations.” Join us. Register here.
What the Lower Rio Grande Tells Us
The featured article from our March 2026 News was written by Beth Bardwell from Las Cruces and this author to examine the Lower Rio Grande situation at the beginning of its post-litigation water management stage. Water use in the LRG has barely been affected to date by the litigation but water users there will soon dramatically feel the depth of the litigation consequences if the dry climate continues. The lessons for the Middle Rio Grande are neither abstract nor comfortable. Read the long-form article Drinking Water, Taxpayers, Pecans, and the Lower Rio Grande Settlement.
Groundwater Momentum Continues in March
Last month’s February 19 groundwater workshop with Dr. Gretel Follingstad and Dr. Maurice Hall was outstanding — the turnout, the depth of the conversation, and the community engagement it generated were exactly what New Mexico needs more of. Continue that momentum this month with two free webinars hosted by the New Mexico Groundwater Alliance. Details and registration links are in our article, Groundwater Is in Crisis — And the Experts Are Back to Talk Solutions.
The water and the consequences we will pay for ignoring its growing scarcity and our water sharing obligations are not waiting. We must stop waiting, too.
May 9, 2026 @ 11:52 pm
The problem that we have with water is called mismanagement from the Gov. from the beginning. now we are in drought nobody thought of that aspect if it could happen. at one time elephant butte lake was full years ago.
Rio Grand ran most of all year. now we have to face real problems.
If every year water management could just save some, or a little bit more water, to keep adding up year after year may be just may be, we can get back to a more water supply. but now here is the thing Texas and people farmers etc.. will complain about not having water. But what happens when we don’t have water anymore? will they complain? going into court for water all the time doesn’t work, because when you don’t have it anymore what is the fight about. Problems have also led us because population growth of people have grown in area of Rio Grand basin, farming, pecans trees through the valley need more water than most farming crops. El Paso is building a industry that require water, oh yes Texas that says the need drinking water. don’t forget our Nabors next door Mexico they need water too, but Texas they building stuff that requires water for product. The Rio Grand basin is drying up so when water is coming down from runoff it goes in the ground first which shorten water before it even reaches the lake and the Gulf Coast. When the system was built IT WORKED now its broken.
No since of pointing fingers because we all know what has happen. I know that Texas require a certain amount of water each year because of court battles with NEW MEXICO and all IT needs to be changed a bit stop running the lake Elephant Butte so low start adding water to it Change the amount of release water to compensate for the loss. We have to understand global worming is in effect. WE have to adjust for it. conserve water. When runoff is good and water is more share water but still try to conserve to add to supply. to compensate for the drought times. this is just my opinion, just concern citizen.