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Upper Hondo Water Availability and Decision Support Model

by dahaycr — last modified 10-30-2007 13:49

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
At an ever increasing rate, the Upper Rio Hondo area is enjoying vibrant growth and development (8% average annual increase in the tax base for the last 10 years) that has now begun to put stress on the area’s water resources. During drought years, constrictive emergency water management options have been implemented that have had a negative impact on development and growth to the point where many of the region’s business owners and residents are concerned that the current and future water demands have exceeded the available water supply. This stress on the water supply reached a pinnacle last year when the region had an all-time record low snow-pack and was placed on ‘Phase 5’ drought management restrictions that imposed a moratorium on all new development.<p>

Currently, the approach to water resource allocation in the Upper Rio Hondo basin and Lincoln County in general, is based on a case-by-case basis with no regard for a uniform ‘vision’. The use and allocation of water is further constrained by a lack of intra-basin flexibility as well as complicated water rights and water credit issues. Concern has arisen that the future water needs of the region may exceed the available supply, which would result in an economic downturn and a loss of investor confidence in the area. If reasonable growth is to continue, an unambiguous and fair agreement regarding water allocation between all users and stakeholders is needed.

In response to this community wide concern, the local governments as well as the county government have responded and agreed to address the water deficit issue as a unified team working towards the same goal. To facilitate this endeavor Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) is developing a decision support tool that will allow stakeholders to play a number “what if” scenarios to examine the impacts of different management plans on the reliability and sustainability of our water resources. Beginning in January of 2007, the final objective of this three year project will be the development of a comprehensive and unified water management plan.