Editorial By Alex Thal, Grant SWCD Supervisor

Please vote for candidates that will finally return the water rights to Southwest New Mexico.

Grant Soil and Water District and Grant County Commission have been involved since the mid-1960s in trying to get back the water rights that were wrongfully taken from New Mexico in the Arizona/California lawsuit. This was recognized by the AZ/CA Supreme Court Water Master, who issued the Rifkind Decree, for reparation and a more equitable water solution for New Mexico.

We all know that water is everything to Southwestern US. The Rifkind Decree recognized that. As citizens of New Mexico, we must continue to pursue the rightful return of these waters to Southwestern NM. Otherwise, the 14,000 acre-feet will either remain in AZ or be redirected to another region in NM or end up in TX for their use and prosperity.

A lot of misinformation is being hyped up by candidates and other special interest groups to stop the delivery of water from the AZ Water Settlement Act.

First, we hear that the Gila River will be dammed. Not true at all. There are existing dams on the Gila River and its tributaries. However, the AWSA has no proposed additional dams on the Gila River. Small reservoirs, similar to Bill Evans Lake and Lake Roberts are under consideration.

We also hear that only a few will benefit. This is totally false. All Southwest NM local governments (representing all of the publics) advanced projects for public works, water conservation projects, and to improve local agricultural/food production. This public process has generated over 15 AWSA projects that will return the waters to Southwestern New Mexico.

We hear that it will be too costly to local taxpayers; not so. The AWSA set aside over $120 million for AWSA project development. Many of these AWSA projects are public capital improvement projects that have been waiting for funding, regardless of AWSA.

In addition, we hear that there are water conservation alternatives to the AWSA. We have incorporated all known conservation practices to secure our 14,000 ac ft. water rights. In fact, we can attest that the environmental assessments and studies are the most comprehensive environmental assessments conducted for any water delivery system in Southwest New Mexico.

Grant County will lose the 14,000 acre-feet of water that rightfully belong to us. Therefore, it is important for Grant County voters to elect the officials that support this water delivery systems to the arid Southwestern New Mexico.

Alex Thal, Ph.D., Supervisor
Grant Soil and Water Conservation District