Despite drought, a lawsuit, the irrigation needs of local agriculture, and our growing population – the water future of the City of Las Cruces (City) is secure.
You probably know our region has been in a drought for at least the past 15 years. You know water levels behind Elephant Butte Dam are very low, which limits the water flowing down the Rio Grande and available for irrigation of farm fields.
But, Las Cruces Utilities (LCU) does not pull the City’s water from the Rio Grande. LCU draws our water supply entirely from some 72 wells spaced widely in and around the city, at depths of up to 1,290 ft. in the Mesilla and Jornada Bolsons. The City has no plans to ever use Rio Grande surface water. (Source: March 2018 “Las Cruces Ground Water Supply Fact Sheet” from John Shomaker & Associates, Inc.)
You probably know about the lawsuit pitting Texas against New Mexico and Colorado over access to water that flows down the Rio Grande river. That lawsuit is scheduled for court in the fall of 2020 and will determine how much future river water will be allotted to cities and agriculture along the Rio Grande.
But Las Cruces’ strategy for developing and maintaining its sustainable water supply is based on existing groundwater rights and permits, proactive conservation, and careful monitoring of its water sources. LCU currently has rights and permits to pump groundwater totaling 51,179 acre-feet (ac-ft.) per year, which includes the recently acquired water rights from the Jornada Water Company and the East and West Mesas. In 2015, the City’s demand for water was 22,133 ac-ft. Projections for 2055 – that’s just under 40 years from now – estimate a demand of 36,347 ac-ft./year with “medium” growth, well below our current pumping capabilities.
It’s also important to know that City, LCU Administrators, LCU Board of Commissioners, and attorneys are always actively expanding our water resources and planning our secure water future at least 4 decades in advance. You can read the 40-Year Water Development Plan in detail (updated April 2017) at http://www.las-cruces.org/departments/utilities/water/resources.
That does not mean we should be wasting water. We should always be careful with water use. Use what you need, but don’t waste high quality drinking water – which includes all the water that flows out of your faucets, bath, showerheads, water hose, and sprinkler heads – it’s all drinking-quality water.
Submitted by Las Cruces Utilities at 528-3500 from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Las Cruces Utilities provides GAS – WATER – WASTEWATER – SOLID WASTE services to approximately 100,000 Las Cruces area residents.