By Randall C. Coleman
Environment New Mexico
This month marks the 35th anniversary of the landmark 1972 Clean Water Act, the goal of which was to make all U.S. waterways swimmable and fishable by 1983. Clearly there is still a great disconnect between the law's original goals and the current state of waterways throughout the nation.
The Gila River in southwest New Mexico is a fine example of the benefits a swimmable and fishable river can bring us, but the Gila also needs protection from other threats— diversions and drainage.
Thanks to a bold move by Gov. Bill Richardson, a plan during the last legislative session to divert water from the Gila River was prevented, at least temporarily. However, with the next legislative session only months away, the river could once again be on the chopping block.
The Gila is New Mexico's last free-flowing river. The river and its riparian areas support a diverse ecosystem and provide habitat to numerous federally endangered species including the spikedace, loach minnow and the southwestern willow flycatcher.
Recreational opportunities along the Gila, such as fishing, hiking, kayaking and bird-watching, are abundant and provide the region with valuable tourism dollars. The Gila River is a gem, symbolizing untouched New Mexican wilderness, and deserves protection from development.
As an oasis in a desert state, however, the Gila has been eyed for drainage and diversion many times in the past. The current threat to the Gila stems from the 2004 Arizona Water Settlements Act. The Act allows for New Mexico to deplete an additional 14,000 acre-feet of water per year from the Gila and San Francisco rivers. The law also provides up to $128 million in federal subsidy to New Mexico for a water "development" project.
Reflecting New Mexico statute, the Interstate Stream Commission was charged with approving any expenditure of monies received by New Mexico under the settlement and began to institute the planning process, coordinating with other state and federal agencies.
As a result, in 2006, the coordinating committee began to develop a plan for a dam or diversion project without looking into other methods, like conservation or efficiency programs, which could also be used to meet a water supply demand.
Fortunately, in the 2007 legislative session, Richardson vetoed a $945,000 appropriation earmarked for "Gila basin water development" thereby putting a roadblock in the planning process.
In a policy statement issued this past June the governor stated that he "vetoed the appropriation because the language did not include the balance I felt it needed— that is, it appeared to presuppose that the funds would be used solely to support a diversion or dam project. ... There will be no planning with the objective of building a dam on the Gila or San Francisco Rivers initiated while I am governor of New Mexico."
We should all applaud the governor for a decision to protect the Gila that was based on a long-term vision about what is important to our state and the natural character that makes this the Land of Enchantment.
Nonetheless, the Gila remains threatened. The planning process is just now starting again, and while a dam on the Gila is unlikely, a large-scale, environmentally destructive diversion project is on the table.
Instead of charging taxpayers millions of dollars for an unnecessary diversion project, the state should use $66 million from the settlement allocated to meet regional water demand and use it for common-sense conservation and water-efficiency programs that will be able to maintain a free-flowing river while providing for the region's water needs.
The Gila is our last wild river and deserves our protection. The Interstate Stream Commission, legislators and others should follow the governor's lead and protect this river for future generations.
Only when we first have water in our rivers can we benefit from the Clean Water Act's vision of maintaining the quality of those waterways.
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