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New Mexico state engineer Scott Verhines
New Mexico State Engineer Scott Verhines announced this morning that he’s allocated an additional 20,000 acre feet of water this year to the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District, the water agency that serves farmers from Cochiti to Socorro County.
The water comes from accumulated “credits” – extra water delivered to Texas in years past. Here’s Verhines’ statement, sent out this morning:
“We recognize the importance of MRGCD having about 80,000 acre-feet of water in storage to meet farmer’s irrigation needs this summer. The allocation of 20,000 acre feet of water to MRGCD will help provide water to farmers through August,” said State Engineer Verhines. “This water supports the goal of meeting flow targets for the endangered Rio Grande silvery minnow and assists the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority’s surface water diversion operations.”
In his statement, Verhines said there’s the possibility of an additional allocation later this spring.
-- Email the reporter at jfleck@abqjournal.com. Call the reporter at 505-823-3916
