Water

By Mike Weinberg, Chapter Water Chair

We all by now have heard that worldwide shortages of fresh water are expected in the coming decades due to increased demand from an ever-growing global population and anticipated drying of the earth’s climate.

Development of new water supplies and better management of existing sources will be necessary in order to meet the challenges that lie ahead. We can all help by conserving this precious resource.

July 13 - Santa Fe, NM - The New Mexico Environment Department is pleased to announce a major agreement between state dairy industry representatives and various environmental citizen groups on new rules to regulate discharges to ground water at New Mexico dairy facilities.

The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) brokered the deal late last week between the Dairy Industry Group for a Clean Environment (DIGCE), Amigos Bravos, Caballo Concerned Citizens, and the Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter. The new deal comes after DIGCE appealed the Dairy Rule adopted by the Water Quality Control Commission (WQCC) in December 2010.

By Mona Blaber

Every study released lately seems to have worse news about climate change, but it’s hard to translate the figures and statistics into any kind of idea of how life will change in New Mexico, or any region, in the coming decades. I asked University of New Mexico Earth and Planetary Sciences professor David Gutzler, who has researched climate variability in the West, about what these predictions mean for us.

Louise Pape, Vice Chair of the Sustainable Santa Fe Commission and Sierra Club member, has created a website that explains how to reduce personal water consumption to ten gallons per day. Check it out.

Ten Gallons a Day by Louise Pape

A big welcome to Mike Weinberg, a hydrogeologist from Chama. His background of 20 years as professional engineer in Florida may seem like a mismatch for the southwest. Assessing Florida's shallow aquifers has given Mike practical experience in managing what we will also likely see lots more of in New Mexico: We are rapidly pumping freshwater aquifers at unsustainable levels. The frequent result is that nearby mineral-laden water flows to mix with freshwater, contaminating what freshwater is left.

Initial Article Published in the Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter Sierran in the March-April 2010 Issue. This write up includes the initial article plus subsequent updates. For further information contact Sigmund Silber ssilber1@juno.com
Editor's note:This is a consolidation of ongoing updates. Click on update link to go directly to that section

Sierra Club members weighed-in to support clean air and clean water during the 2011 New Mexico Legislature. Club members sent 1000's of e-mails to their NM Senators and Representatives to urge them to vote for or against legislation that would have a direct impact on clean air and water. During this year's session, club members communicated about 12 bills. Of these 12 bills, 11 of those bills had outcomes supported by our members.

Over the past three years, our family has consumed 38% less water than the prior owners of our house. During this same time period, the neighbor’s water consumption has been 9 times our water consumption in a house of similar size. Learn what you can do.

Rain Water Harvesting is all about capturing and storing rainfall to irrigate plants or to supply people and animals. It is one of the oldest known gardening watering methods, dating back to the beginnings of agriculture. Water harvesting methods are still used by the Tohono O'odham and Hopi tribes, who traditionally plant after the onset of summer and winter rains.

December 15 – The New Mexico Water Quality Control Commission (WQCC) today passed New Mexico’s first industry-specific regulations for the dairy industry. The new regulations will govern dairy waste pollution in ground water. The decision marks the end of a two-year process begun by the dairy industry itself, which asked for industry-specific regulations during the 2009 New Mexico legislative session.

“These regulations are way overdue”, said Jerry Nivens of Caballo Concerned Citizens. “This is a victory for clean water.”