New Mexico launches dashboard to track 50-year water plan
New Mexico has launched a public dashboard to track progress on its 50-year water plan, including conservation targets, new water supply projects and infrastructure improvements.
State says tool will monitor conservation, new supply and water quality efforts as climate projections warn of major shortages
Organ Mountain News report
SANTA FE - New Mexico officials have launched a public dashboard designed to track progress on the state’s long-term water strategy, as projections warn of significant shortages in the coming decades.
The online tool allows residents to monitor efforts tied to the state’s 50-year Water Action Plan, which focuses on conservation, developing new water supplies and protecting water quality.
State officials say the plan responds to forecasts that New Mexico could become about 25% drier over the next 50 years, driven by rising temperatures, reduced snowpack and prolonged drought.
Scientists with the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources estimate the state could face a shortfall of about 750,000 acre-feet of water over that period. New Mexico currently uses about 3 million acre-feet of surface and groundwater each year to support agriculture, communities and industry.
The dashboard tracks progress across the plan’s three main areas.
On conservation, the state aims to reduce rural and municipal water use by 10% by 2040 and cut water loss from public drinking water systems by 25%. In some communities, aging infrastructure loses between 40% and 70% of treated drinking water before it reaches users.
On new water supplies, the state has committed $75 million to support projects such as brackish water desalination, with a goal of producing 100,000 acre-feet of additional water by 2028.
The plan also includes efforts to protect surface and groundwater quality, restore watersheds and reduce wildfire risk across 300,000 acres each year by 2035.
The Water Action Plan, announced in 2024, builds on previous state laws and initiatives related to water management and infrastructure. Officials say the effort also incorporates research from universities and national laboratories, along with input from tribal, Pueblo and acequia communities.
The dashboard is available at water-dashboard.nm.gov.
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