How do N.M.’s laws about water storage compare to Oregon’s?
“How do N.M.’s laws about water storage compare to Oregon’s?”
The laws are quite complex, and I’d imagine fairly similar through out the west. Here, there are different water districts divided up by drainages and maybe even aquifers. An acre water right varies in size in each district. That ‘size’ has traditionally been allocated to a set dimension on a determined parcel of land. More recently, if a person is using a well for irrigation, the state is requiring meters to be installed. Any earthen tank or holding pond in N.M. requires water rights. The older the water right, the more seniority it has in times of drought when surface irrigation water is in short supply. Certain irrigation/water districts here do not even allow the capture of water off a roof into barrels.
On a topic that would require its own thread, the Arizona Water Settlements Act decision is soon approaching, which will determine wether or not a huge amount of water will remain in the Gila River basin for use in N.M. or be allowed to flow down river until it dries up and goes subsurface in Arizona. The Gang Greens want the river to go unused, and have pretty much threatened monkey wrenching, and perhaps violence if any attempt is made to capture the water during flood stage, and divert it to large holding ponds for later use.