NMISC voted to accept or modify most staff recommendations
By Mary Alice Murphy
The New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission members at their meeting, Monday, Nov. 24, 2014, in Albuquerque accepted or modified staff's recommendations that were presented at a public meeting in Silver City on Nov. 14, 2014, and are posted at nmawsa.org.
The ISC was tasked with sending a letter to the U.S. Secretary of the Interior by Dec. 31, 2014, stating New Mexico's intent to develop the 14,000 average annual acre-feet of water, as allocated to the southwestern four-county region of New Mexico by the 2004 Arizona Water Settlements Act.
The Commission also passed a resolution, which accepted the staff's recommendations on the Southwest Regional Water Supply. The members recommended investigating the design for the diversion and storage for the SWRWS, as well as beginning the 30 percent design process. Also recommended by the commissioners was to investigation funding financing for the regional water supply project.
Staff's recommendation to accept the Gila Conservation Coalition's Municipal Water Conservation Fund met with approval, with commissioners raising the recommended amount from $1.5 million to $3 million. Funding is to be provided on a reimbursement basis and terminates no later than fiscal year 2020. Participating entities must keep data for five years and all funding will require a 30 percent local cash contribution, not to include administrative costs, as stated in staff's recommendations, which can be accessed at http://nmawsa.org/ongoing-work/interstate-stream-commission/isc-staff-recommendation-for-stakeholder-awsa-proposals
The Gila Basin Irrigation Commission was the third-ranked of the proposals. Staff recommended $750,000. Commissioners recommended an additional $500,000.
Catron County Ditches were allocated $500,000.
Deming effluent reuse project will receive $1.75 million.
The recommendation for the Grant County Reservoir was accepted, with funding to be determined.
The Pleasanton East-side Ditch was accepted with a bump up in funding from $50,000 to $200,000.
Commissioners accepted the recommendation on the Sunset/New Model Canals, with an increase in funding to $200,000.
The Grant County Water Commission wellfield and pipeline proposal was tabled until water rights can be sorted out.
Also accepted was the 1892 Luna Irrigation Ditch at the recommended funding of $100,000.
The NMISC also tabled funding for watershed proposals.
Acting Interstate Stream Commission Director Amy Haas stated in a news release: "If New Mexico determines down the road that our options are overly costly or no longer feasible, we have the option to change course. Today's vote is not a commitment to a short-term obligation; it is a commitment to the long-term health of New Mexico as a whole."