New Mexico

Santa Fe indecision - but what's new?
The City Council on Wednesday remained knotted on the question of how much of Santa Fe's limited water supply to allocate for growth.

Irrigation moves rain
Unlike the rains in Spain, Texas downpours aren't staying on the plains. Heavy agricultural irrigation is driving them off course.

West sees shift in water use
The owner of the Sun Ranch on Montana's Madison River did something last year that once would have been unthinkable in the arid West: he leased his water rights to benefit brown and rainbow trout. Taking advantage of a change in Montana law that was pushed by an unusual coalition of fishermen and ranchers, Roger Lang leased his rights to the water in three Madison River tributaries to the fish conservation group Trout Unlimited.

Irrigators Advised of Water Plan
The Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District is urging irrigators to avoid taking water out of turn.
In a statement released this week, the district said some irrigators aren't following the rotation schedule of water deliveries, "leaving some with little or no water for irrigation in what is the worst drought year on record."

Draft Guidelines Designate a Critical Management Area
"The guidelines designate a Critical Management Area. Within this area, limitations and restrictions will be imposed for new wells. As an example, new domestic wells will be required to be metered and will be limited to inside use only.