Rio Grande Water Rights Association

The RGWRA is a grass roots organization dedicated to ensuring adequate water for NM's future needs.

The water for our state's future needs can only come from transferable, in-use irrigation water rights. To provide adequately for future needs, these rights must be protected, recognized and maximized under the laws of the state and within the discretionary powers of the Office of the State Engineer (OSE).

There has been an alarming erosion of these rights. Current OSE policy, careless legislative proposals, and political decisions are being made without assessing the effects on New Mexico's future. Once these rights are lost, they are gone forever. This is the water for future households, municipal use, industry, recreation and a continuing agriculture.

Our usable water supply is limited by climate, geography, and political regulation. The RGWRA believes that we must promote a balanced and comprehensive water plan that is fair to all the current users-and to future generations. A plan that does not maximize our transferable water supply is not adequate.