0001|                          A JOINT MEMORIAL
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0002| REQUESTING THE STATE ENGINEER TO DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN A WATER
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0003| BUDGET FOR THE STATE.
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0004| 
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0005|      WHEREAS, the state engineer is responsible for the measurement and appropriation of
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0006| the scarce water resources of New Mexico and of their distribution among an increasing number
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0007| of water users, in the context of interstate stream compact deliveries that must be maintained; and
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0008|      WHEREAS, data on usage and long-term sustainability of the resource are crucial in
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0009| deciding basin adjudications and acting on water rights applications; and
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0010|      WHEREAS, additional information on water use and water supply is sorely needed to
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0011| assist in adjudicating rights along the Rio Grande, the most heavily appropriated river and ground
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0012| water basin in the state; and
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0013|      WHEREAS, the state's water budget depends completely on water yields generated by
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0014| healthy mountain forests and land; and
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0015|      WHEREAS, the potential to increase water yield of the state's watersheds through land
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0016| use, forest and range management has received little research and less action; and
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0017|      WHEREAS, additional water use data would bolster efforts at water conservation and
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0018| assist in preventing over-diversion; and
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0019|      WHEREAS, water planning efforts now under way in many regions of the state would be
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0020| enhanced by improved information on water use and water resources;
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0021|      NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE
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0022| OF NEW MEXICO that the office of the state engineer be requested to compile the data
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0023| necessary to construct a water budget for every stream system and declared basin in the state,
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0024| beginning with those under the greatest pressure from water users and interstate stream compact
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0025| requirements; and 
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0001|      BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the state engineer be requested to develop an
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0002| estimate of the cost to meter or take other measurements of all permitted water uses and return
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0003| flows, and develop data management system to permit accurate storage, rapid retrieval and
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0004| flexible analysis of the surface water use records; and
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0005|      BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the state engineer be requested to conduct research
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0006| and monitoring efforts to quantify surface and ground water resources and water yield by
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0007| watershed; and
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0008|      BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the state engineer be provided the support to carry
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0009| out a needs assessment within his office and report back to the legislature by December 1, 1997
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0010| with a phasing plan and cost estimate for developing the information base described above; and  
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0011|      BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the state engineer report to the appropriate legislative
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0012| interim committee prior to the second session of the forty-third legislature regarding the agency's
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0013| progress in compiling the needs assessment called for in this memorial; and
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0014|      BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be transmitted to the
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0015| state engineer.                              
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