“It could be 100 years, or 80 years, or 60 years — we’ve got a limited amount of water,” says Dave DuBois, New Mexico’s state climatologist. “We’ve got these long horizons, but that doesn’t mean we need to blow through that and then figure out what to do.”
Does New Mexico have a water shortage?
New Mexico also has long periods of drought and inconsistent precipitation, so relying on surface water can lead to shortages as well. Water withdrawals from New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, and Mexico hav e greatly reduced the volume of the Rio Grande ov er the past 50 years.
What states are running out of water?
The drought in California is something we’ve spoken about in previous articles, but it’s important to understand that California is only one of a handful of states running out of water. These states include: Texas, Oklahoma, Arizona, Kansas, New Mexico and Nevada as well.
Does Santa Fe New Mexico have a water shortage?
Despite what the recent, welcome spats of rain might suggest, Santa Fe remains in drought. In 2020, the total recorded precipitation in the city was less than 60% of the 10-year average, and climate models predict that prolonged periods of drought will likely become more severe.
Is New Mexico drying up?
Normal for New Mexico’s largest river to dry—not every summer, but more summers than not since the mid- to late-1990s. According to records from across the state, New Mexico’s average annual temperature has increased by about 3 degrees Fahrenheit in the past 50 years.
What Year Will New Mexico run out of water?
“It could be 100 years, or 80 years, or 60 years — we’ve got a limited amount of water,” says Dave DuBois, New Mexico’s state climatologist. “We’ve got these long horizons, but that doesn’t mean we need to blow through that and then figure out what to do.”
Is New Mexico in a drought 2021?
The most intense period of drought occurred the week of January 19, 2021, where D4 affected 54.27% of New Mexico land. The U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) is a national map released every Thursday, showing parts of the U.S. that are in drought.
What state has most water?
Alaska
The state with the largest total area of water is Alaska, which has 94,743 square miles of water. Alaska contains approximately 12,000 rivers, 3 million lakes larger than 5 acres, and numerous creeks and ponds, accounting for more than 14% of the state’s total area.
Is Texas running out of water?
There are 8 million acre-feet of such water, more than four times what Region C will need fifty years from now and nearly the total shortfall for the entire state of Texas in 2060.
What U.S. cities will run out of water?
Here are five U.S. cities, in no particular order, that could run out of water if the changes they have undertaken aren’t continued.
- El Paso, Texas. Sitting in the Chihuahuan Desert, El Paso, Texas, receives only about 9 inches of rain annually.
- Phoenix.
- Los Angeles.
- Miami.
- Atlanta.
What part of New Mexico has the most water?
Elephant Butte Lake, located in southern New Mexico, is the state’s largest lake and most popular spot for enjoying the water.
Who uses the most water in New Mexico?
agriculture’s
While agriculture’s economic impact in New Mexico is usually just a few percent a year, it’s by far the largest consumer of water — irrigation accounted for 76% of water withdrawals in 2015, according to the latest available state engineer report.
Is Las Cruces running out of water?
You probably know our region has been in a drought for at least the past 15 years. You know water levels behind Elephant Butte Dam are very low, which limits the water flowing down the Rio Grande and available for irrigation of farm fields. But, Las Cruces Utilities does not pull the city’s water from the Rio Grande.
Is NM still in a drought?
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. —
In a recent journal article published in “Nature Climate Change,” researchers found the years 2000 to 2021 is the driest two-decade period since 800 A.D. “This last decade has really been tough for the state,” Mike Hamman, the state engineer, said.
Why are they draining Elephant Butte Lake?
Poor water management, statewide drought cited as reasons for dropping water levels at Elephant Butte. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — As the drought continues in New Mexico, water levels at Elephant Butte Lake State Park are also dropping. According to the Bureau of Reclamation, the lake is less than 11% full.
Where does Taos NM get its water?
A few wells are completed in basalt of the Taos Plateau and in alluvium of stream channels in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Depths to water in wells range from less than 1 to 1,080 feet below land surface. Well yields range from 1 to 3,000 gallons per minute.
Where does New Mexico get its water supply?
New Mexico’s surface water supply originates as rain or melting snow, but 97 percent of that water evaporates or is transpired by plants.
Is Albuquerque water shortage?
After years of decline, water supplies are making a comeback and aquifer levels are on the rise throughout the Albuquerque, N.M., metro area.
Is Rio Rancho running out of water?
There is not an endless supply of water, so we need to think about ways to conserve and look into alternative ways to make sure we do not run out. The City of Rio Rancho is doing just that. Rio Rancho is the first City permitted in the State of New Mexico to replenish groundwater by putting water back into the aquifer.
Why is New Mexico dry?
Evaporation. Potential evaporation in New Mexico is much greater than average annual precipitation. Evaporation from a Class A pan ranges from near 56 inches in the north-central mountains to more than 110 inches in southeastern valleys.
Is Santa Fe still in drought?
The tree rings — wider in wet years and narrow in dry — tell the story. The current dry spell began in 2000, with the exceptionally dry summer of 2021 exacerbating conditions. That left 2000-21 as the driest 22-year period since A.D. 800. That’s as far back as data goes.
