The ecologically devastating, technically infeasible, and prohibitively expensive Gila River diversion is dead. So now what? Can we just rest easy or move on to another adventure? Well, not just yet.
After wasting more than $15 million to study the diversion, there is still roughly $90 million of Arizona Water Settlements Act (AWSA) funding remaining. It can only be used for water projects in the four counties of southwest New Mexico, Catron, Grant, Hidalgo, and Luna. That’s a considerable chunk of change, and conservationists want to make sure that it’s spent wisely for projects that protect the Gila River, meet our water demands, conserve water, and benefit the greatest number of residents equitably.
Communities have been waiting almost twenty years to access the AWSA funding for some of the critical water projects they’ve identified, such as new wells, water line improvements, effluent reuse, and efficient irrigation systems. One especially worthy project is the Grant County Regional Water Supply Project, an intercommunity water supply pipeline between Silver City, Santa Clara, Bayard, Hurley, and a well at Grant County Airport. This project has already been started but still needs about $15 million to see it through to completion.
In March 2021, the New Mexico legislature passed House Bill 200, which ousted the NM CAP Entity, the proponents of the Gila River diversion. The bill tasked the Water Trust Board, an advisory board under the New Mexico Finance Authority, with analyzing and recommending proposed water projects to the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission (ISC), which makes the ultimate decision.
Reviewing water projects is wonky stuff that most people are only too happy to ignore, so it’s important that UGWA and our partners in the Gila Conservation Coalition remain vigilant. We all recognize that using our limited water judiciously will only become more important as the climate becomes hotter and drier.
Also on our radar is the state’s upcoming 50-year water plan, which Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has tasked the ISC with developing. UGWA and Gila Conservation Coalition are engaging in this process, reviewing the climate assessment that informs the process and submitting comments at each input juncture. Again, wonk territory. We travel there so you don’t have to! However, we may need you to visit during public comment periods. We’ll provide good directions. Thank you to our anonymous Major Donor for funding to stay engaged with Gila River and water issues.