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