Middle Rio Grande Regional Water Plan

Appendix 8-A. Steering Committee Review of the 2004 Strategies
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The 2004 strategies for meeting water demand were reviewed in 2015 Steering Committee meetings. The strategies were ranked
based on the following criteria:
Project Complete: Y = Yes, N = No, S = started Progress: 1 = Not effective, 5 = Very effective Priority: 1 = Low priority; 5 = High priority
2004
Strategy
Name
2015
rankings
Complete a
Progress b
Priority c
Strategy Description from Chapter 10.2 of 2004 Plan
a Y = Yes, N = No, S = started
b Progress: 1 = Not effective, 5 = Very effective
c Priority: 1 = Low priority; 5 = High priority
2015 Steering Committee Comments
Urban and Rural Conservation Activities
In these 2004 recommendations, separate policies were needed for residential, industrial, municipal, institutional and commercial uses.
Recommendations R1-4, R1-5, and R1-7 within this category serve to protect the aquifers at the cost of making Rio Grande Compact deliveries more
problematical.
R1-1—
Establish a
Domestic
Well Policy
(A-61)
R1-2—
Outdoor
Conservation
Programs
(A-18, A-22)
Y 3 3 The region is seen to be significantly increasing its draw upon
water resources in many areas due to the installation of new
domestic wells and their associated consumptions. The State
Engineer should establish a policy to reduce pumping from
domestic wells and restrict drilling of domestic wells where
surface waters or the aquifer could be impaired.
Y 4 4 Most of the urban and suburban consumptive use of water
comes from outdoor uses, particularly lawns and trees. This
recommendation is for local governments to implement
incentive, regulatory, and/or public education policies so as to
reduce high-water use landscaping and convert to xeriscaping
to the greatest extent possible. It is recommended that existing
programs are strengthened and that new programs broaden
the geographical coverage so as to meet the target
percentages provided in the Preferred Scenario in residential,
municipal, industrial, commercial and institutional uses across
the region.
Since 2004, the OSE has reduced domestic permits from
3 to 1 acre-feet, increased fees and restricted placement
of domestic wells. The issue is important, the policy is
good in theory, and public education has increased, but
since overuse is difficult to monitor it has not had the
successful impact it could have. The City of Rio Rancho
has a domestic well ordinance.
Standards, such as Bernalillo County's Water
Conservation Standards and Guidelines for Multi-Family
Residential; Commercial, Office, Institutional and
Industrial Land Uses; and Residential Subdivisions with
Less than Five Units, have been adopted. Incentives to
conserve water have been very successful in some parts
of this planning region. More effort and increased
incentives are needed to bring these programs to the
remaining areas in the planning region.
Middle Rio Grande Regional Water Plan 2017