Seventy-five residents gathered on March 1, 2025, at the Socorro Fairgrounds for a community event centered on addressing water management challenges faced by New Mexico’s Middle Rio Grande. The event, sponsored by the Utton Center at the UNM School of Law, was aimed at fostering community engagement and discussion on the issue.
John Fleck from the Utton Center noted the importance of community collaboration in light of diminishing Rio Grande water levels. "With less water flowing down the Rio Grande each year, it’s important for communities to come together to learn and share their thoughts about what they value most and how we can all collaborate in the face of climate change," he said, moderating the discussions.
The Rio Grande stretch from the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District’s San Acacia Diversion Dam to Elephant Butte Reservoir is vital to Socorro's farming community and the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. The region is experiencing difficulties in fulfilling its water delivery obligations under the Rio Grande Compact due to sediment accumulation that hampers the flow of water downstream.
MRGCD Water Operations Manager Anne Marken discussed the district's challenges in providing irrigation water to farms in southern New Mexico and Texas amid increasing water shortages. Ken Richard of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation presented the Lower San Acacia Reach Improvement Project, which seeks to reroute and improve river water flow efficiency.
Laila Sturgis from the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and New Mexico Tech informed attendees about ongoing studies on the hydrology of the Rio Grande between San Acacia and Fort Craig, emphasizing surface and groundwater interactions. She invited local well owners to participate in their study by allowing depth-to-water measurements, directing interested parties to contact her at 575-835-5327.
The event was co-sponsored by various entities, including the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District, New Mexico Tech, the City of Socorro, Friends of the Bosque del Apache, Valencia Soil and Water Conservation District, and Amigos de la Sevilleta.
