Mayor Fred Hashimoto, in his weekly message to the community, noted that the village’s “water team” is readying a 40-year water development plan, required by the New Mexico Office of the State Engineer (OSE).
As the Village of Corrales seeks to solidify long-term water rights, it’s moving closer to rectifying an important compliance lapse.
Mayor Fred Hashimoto, in his weekly message to the community, noted that the village’s “water team” is readying a 40-year water development plan, required by the New Mexico Office of the State Engineer (OSE).
John Stomp, a registered professional engineer and attorney working on water-rights matters, has told village leaders that the water plan is required, but also protects local water rights from forfeiture and abandonment.
The water team has put together a draft of the 40-year plan, Hashimoto noted, and plans to gather more public input before submitting it to the Village Council for final approval.
The Corrales Bosque. (VoC)
The draft, available here, acknowledges that the village has never formally submitted a water plan to the OSE. The stated goal of the document is to promote water conservation and to provide a plan for the reasonable use and development of the village’s water rights and water resources.
In addition to the plan, village officials are submitting to the OSE an application to combine and commingle Corrales’ existing water rights portfolio. In short, that means existing rights tied to specific locations could be pooled and used throughout the village.
If the application is approved, according to the draft water plan, that would reduce the amount of water rights the Village needs to acquire.
The amount of water rights necessary to meet current demands is variable, depending on climate, the amount and extent of fires, and many other factors that may result from extended drought, the draft states, and the extent of declining water quality within the shallow aquifer from which groundwater wells in Corrales draw.
No date has been set for public input or adoption of the water plan.
Other items from the Mayor’s Message:
The village has requested $1 million from the office of Gov. Michelle Lujan to expand its network of fire hydrants.
An emergency crossing at Applewood Road is complete and ready for use by emergency vehicles.
Corrales seeks to square away its water future
Share this:
As the Village of Corrales seeks to solidify long-term water rights, it’s moving closer to rectifying an important compliance lapse.
Mayor Fred Hashimoto, in his weekly message to the community, noted that the village’s “water team” is readying a 40-year water development plan, required by the New Mexico Office of the State Engineer (OSE).
John Stomp, a registered professional engineer and attorney working on water-rights matters, has told village leaders that the water plan is required, but also protects local water rights from forfeiture and abandonment.
The water team has put together a draft of the 40-year plan, Hashimoto noted, and plans to gather more public input before submitting it to the Village Council for final approval.
The Corrales Bosque. (VoC)
The draft, available here, acknowledges that the village has never formally submitted a water plan to the OSE. The stated goal of the document is to promote water conservation and to provide a plan for the reasonable use and development of the village’s water rights and water resources.
In addition to the plan, village officials are submitting to the OSE an application to combine and commingle Corrales’ existing water rights portfolio. In short, that means existing rights tied to specific locations could be pooled and used throughout the village.
If the application is approved, according to the draft water plan, that would reduce the amount of water rights the Village needs to acquire.
The amount of water rights necessary to meet current demands is variable, depending on climate, the amount and extent of fires, and many other factors that may result from extended drought, the draft states, and the extent of declining water quality within the shallow aquifer from which groundwater wells in Corrales draw.
No date has been set for public input or adoption of the water plan.
Other items from the Mayor’s Message:
Related