UtilitiesTuesday, November 10
Rio Rancho pumped less than half the groundwater its state permits allow
The Daily Rio Rancho team
If you've wondered whether Rio Rancho can keep its taps flowing, the numbers say yes. The city runs entirely on groundwater and pumped 12,582 acre-feet last fiscal year, less than half of the 26,439 acre-feet its state permits allow. Its nine working wells can produce up to 24.7 million gallons a day, and this year's peak demand hit 17 million gallons on Aug. 13.
Rio Rancho pumped less than half its permitted groundwater
12,582 AFGroundwater pumped in the last fiscal year, in acre-feet (AF)
Source: nm.news
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| Value | |
|---|---|
| Groundwater pumped in the last fiscal year, in acre-feet (AF) | 12,582 AF |
| Annual pumping limit in state permits | 26,439 AF |
The catch is the river. Every drop of the Rio Grande already belongs to someone, so state rules make the city buy surface water rights to offset its pumping. Water rights attorney Maria O'Brien walked the Governing Body through the rules on Oct. 20, and the city must update its water plan every five years. The last update came in 2025.
“If you don't use it, you can lose it through forfeiture and it reverts to the public.”
This year's peak day stayed below what the wells can produce
Source: nm.news
View as table
| Value | |
|---|---|
| Wells' daily capacity | 24.7 M gal |
| Peak day, Aug. 13 | 17 M gal |
- Offset rights acquired or contracted: 6,784.79 acre-feet
- Schedule covered through: 2041
- Water rights fee on bills: rises 3% a year through fiscal 2030
- One acre-foot: about 325,851 gallons
Sources: nm.news, rrobserver