ABSTRACT
New Mexico is facing a myriad of water resource management issues, on both the demand and supply sides, which are significantly complicated by uncertainties in the arenas of both science and policy. In regards to policy, various issues including the lack of complete basin adjudication, population growth and its associated impacts, acequia property rights, ecosystems preservation, and Native American water rights remain uncertain (see discussions in subsequent chapters). Also, the hydrological processes in this region are highly complex, being strongly influenced by various aspects of the environment including geology, topography and vegetation (Chapter 3). On top of this, both the policy options and the geophysical setting are strongly sensitive to climate variability (Chapter 4), particularly in the semi-arid Southwest.
