By Kevin Hendricks — Corrales residents who left last month’s water rights crash course with more questions than answers get a second round Wednesday, Dec. 2, when Water Rights 101 Part 2 comes to the Village Council Chambers.

The session runs from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at 4324 Corrales Road. Residents who’d rather stay home can join on Zoom, according to a Village of Corrales announcement.

At the first session on Nov. 4, Rin Tara and Stephanie Russo Baca of the UNM Utton Center covered the basics. Tara is the center’s staff attorney and Russo Baca is its ombudsman. They explained who gets water first during a shortage and what a domestic well permit allows. They also explained why you can’t drill a replacement well without the state engineer’s approval when your old one runs dry.

New Mexico law has never spelled out exactly what counts as beneficial use, Tara said.

“But we know what beneficial use isn’t,” she said. Letting water evaporate in a field of rocks is one example.

Domestic wells are common in Corrales, and state law limits them to household use plus modest watering of noncommercial lawns, trees and gardens. The Middle Rio Grande also hasn’t been adjudicated, which means residents have to formally declare their water rights with the Office of the State Engineer before the state will recognize them. Filing a declaration doesn’t guarantee the state will accept it.

More changes are coming, too. The presenters pointed to an upcoming OSE metering order and the appointment of a water master for the Middle Rio Grande.

Can’t wait until December? Residents can search the state engineer’s online water rights database by last name after selecting the Rio Grande Basin. They can also email corralesfarmerscoop@gmail.com to book one-on-one water rights office hours with Russo Baca.

Water Rights 101 Part 2

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