SANTA FE —
The State of New Mexico issued a dated media release on Tuesday, April 28, announcing the launch of a public dashboard designed to track progress on its 50-year Water Action Plan. The initiative aims to prepare for a projected climate crisis that could leave the state 25% drier over the next five decades. ABQRAW did not receive the media release until today, May 1.
The 50-Year Water Action Plan Implementation Dashboard provides real-time updates on efforts to address drought- and climate-driven water shortages. The plan focuses on conserving existing supplies, developing new sources and protecting water quality.
“This dashboard is a promise to every New Mexican that we will manage this challenge with the best science available now and well into the future,” said Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham.
State scientists project a 750,000 acre-foot water shortage within 50 years as warming reduces snowpack, dries aquifers and intensifies drought. New Mexico currently uses about 3 million acre-feet annually for farms, ranches and public demand, with supply expected to fall behind need without action.
The dashboard tracks progress across all three pillars of the plan. Under conservation efforts, the state aims to reduce rural and municipal water use by 10% by 2040 and cut water loss from public drinking water systems by 25%. In some communities, aging infrastructure results in losses of 40% to 70% of treated drinking water before it reaches consumers.
New Mexico has allocated $75 million to its Strategic Water Supply to advance brackish water desalination projects. The goal is to produce 100,000 acre-feet of new water by 2028. Other priorities include protecting surface and groundwater quality, restoring watersheds, and reducing wildfire risk across 300,000 acres annually by 2035.
The plan, announced in 2024, builds on state water laws, prior task force work, academic and lab research, and tribal and acequia water knowledge. Since 2021, New Mexico has secured more than $1 billion in federal water infrastructure funding.
The dashboard is available at https://water-dashboard.nm.gov/
You can read the 19 page plan here: https://www.nm.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/New-Mexico-50-Year-WaterAction-Plan.pdf
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