Home   News   Schools   Sports   Biz   Opinion   Health   Scitech  Arts   Dining   Movies   Outdoors   Weather   Comics   Archives  NM Jobs Cars Real Estate

Story Tools  E-mail Story  Print Friendly Save & Share  ‡  Tag this Page Most Requested Most E-mailed Who's Blogging? Read what's being written about Albuquerque Journal reports. New Mexico Independent links to NEWS/STATE: White Christmas for Parts Democracy for New Mexico links to NEWS/STATE: Denish Prepares To Take State Reins Law Blog - WSJ.com links to NEWS/STATE: Pay To Play Inquiry Derails Cabinet Post Heath Haussamen on New Mexico Politics links to NEWS/STATE: Governor Drops Out of Commerce Consideration, Cites Federal Probe My Photojournalism Life links to home page New Mexico Politics: New Mexico FBIHOP links to Solar Financier Has Shaky Past Dvorak Uncensored: General interest observations and true web-log. links to /abqnews/ Swampland - TIME.com links to /abqnews/ Otero Residents Forum links to NEWS/STATE: Hunting Privileges Revoked Beltway Banter with Baca links to NEWS/WASHINGTON: Wilson Weighing Run for Governor in 2010 Full list and what they're blogging New Mexico Governor Drops Out of Commerce Consideration, Cites Federal Probe Pay To Play Inquiry Derails Cabinet Post Statements from President-elect Barack Obama and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson that were released Sunday by Obama's transition office upon Richardson's decision to withdraw as Obama's nominee to be commerce secretary Reaction To Richardson's Withdrawal Richardson, CDR Timeline N.M. Tech Out $165,000 in Cyber Theft Bodies From Civil War-Era New Mexico Graveyard Will Be Reburied Away From Looters Wolf Program Faces Challenge Drier Climate on the Way for Southwest Rail Runner Has 6 Zones Journal Adjusts Distribution Area Deputies Investigate Death as Homicide 3 Named To Civil, Family Court Costs for Campaigns Skyrocket Around New Mexico More New Mexico

          Front Page  news  state

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Pipeline for Pecos River Settlement Is Complete


Associated Press
      CARLSBAD — The completion of a 10-mile pipeline near Carlsbad will help New Mexico meet its obligations under a settlement over Pecos River water.
    The Seven Rivers pipeline, which started construction a year ago, stretches from the Seven Rivers area 18 miles north of Carlsbad to Brantley Lake on the Pecos River.
    It has the capacity to deliver more than 15,750 acre-feet of water a year to the river as required under the terms of the settlement. An acre-foot, about 326,000 gallons, can meet the annual water needs of one to two U.S. households.
    The project is one of several actions New Mexico has taken to make up a water deficit to Texas under the 1947 Pecos River Compact that assured part of the water to both states.
    Texas sued New Mexico in 1974, claiming New Mexico was keeping too much water. In 1988, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled New Mexico hadn't sent enough water downstream for 34 years and ordered it to pay back the water debt.
    As part of that, the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission has bought water rights along the Lower Pecos River and left farms fallow to send the water downstream.
    The state, the Carlsbad Irrigation District, the Pecos Valley Artesian Conservancy District and the federal government entered into a settlement in 2003 to end 50 years of litigation and help the state comply with the Pecos River Compact.
    "We are not done with the settlement agreement," Estaban Lopez, director of the Interstate Stream Commission, said Monday at ceremonies marking the end of the construction. He said the pipeline and associated well field are major components, and that "I'm confident that within the next few months we will finally get to the full implementation of the agreement."
    Lopez said the pipeline project will help the state meet its interstate compact requirements as well as will improve the water supply outlook for the Carlsbad Irrigation District.
    Jim Renfrow, Pecos River commissioner for New Mexico, said the state has a water delivery credit with Texas of more than 90,000 acre-feet. However, the credit could be wiped out in two to three years if drought conditions continue, he said.
    "That is why the Pecos settlement is so important," he said. "The Seven Rivers well field and pipeline project will serve a crucial role in avoiding any future potential shortfalls."

Copyright ©2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.