Groundwater in New Mexico is subject to prior appropriation, much like surface water in other southwestern states like Arizona.
Prior appropriation is, in layperson’s terms, “first in time, first in right.” It also means that water must be used, otherwise it is subject to abandonment or forfeiture.
The non-use of appropriable groundwater in the small town of Questa, New Mexico
As a gesture of goodwill, Chevron was willing to sell its appropriable groundwater at a heavily discounted price to help economic development in the community. Earlier this month, the State denied a transfer request associated with a sale to local businesses because the water rights in question were no longer valid. While the mine was using about 1,264 acre-feet for reclamation and remediation, the rest of Chevron’s water was deemed by the State to no longer exist
The Santa Fe New Mexican
Image:Â
Eagle Rock Lake Questa, NM
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