New law provides flexibility to juggle valley's water needs

June 2004

U.S. Water News Online

ALAMOSA, Colo. -- Expansion of the amount of land used for agriculture in the San Luis Valley has strained water supplies to the point where cutbacks are necessary, the state water engineer said.

State engineer Hal Simpson and David Robbins, attorney for the Rio Grande Water Conservation District, told a group of water-district officials the valley needs a 10 percent drop in agricultural acreage to protect dwindling aquifers.

Without a reduction of at least 50,000 acres from the 500,000 acres in agriculture, the valley could see a collapse of the aquifer walls, making it impossible for the aquifer to store water.

Simpson said his office is carefully monitoring the system and does not plan to grant any new water appropriations.

Simpson said during a recent meeting of the San Luis Valley Association of Conservation Districts that a new state law should give his office the flexibility to manage conflicting demands on the valley's diminishing water supplies.

The state engineer is required to ensure that local users receive the water they are entitled to while ensuring that the state meets its obligations to provide enough water to New Mexico and Texas under the Rio Grande Compact.

Senate Bill 222, which went into effect with Gov. Bill Owens' signature on May 20, gave the state engineer broad authority in making water-management decisions to meet legal demands and ensure long-term health of the aquifer system.

Simpson said in a normal year, the San Luis Valley receives 2.8 million acre feet of water. Of that, all but 350,000 acre feet is consumed in the valley, with 1.4 million acre feet used by natural vegetation. The remainder, about 1.1 million acre feet, is used by the valley's 50,000 residents, most of it in agriculture.

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