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Eldorado Appeal
October 9, 2007
Concurrent with the County’s decision in March to lift a moratorium on subdivisions there, Eldorado applied to the State Engineer’s office to put in a new production well. They are asking for transfer of 818.40 acre feet yearly (300 more than they have been using) "to supplement ground or surface waters" for "domestic, municipal, and commercial" purposes. The place of use is within their water service area and “within and around the Canada de Los Alamos Grant and the Bishop John Lamy Grant." This represents a substantial increase in consumption and is of concern to area well owners as Eldorado is located near the headwaters of the Galisteo basin.
Well owners in San Marcos, Cerrillos, Galisteo, and La Cienega have protested Eldorado’s application. Wells in these communities could drop or even dry up if Eldorado is allowed to increase their growth with this new well. The fact that Eldorado’s current wells are having difficulty meeting demands suggests that recharge of the aquifer is not sufficient to support an increased level of diversion without impacting domestic wells further down the aquifer.
Eldorado Area Water and Sanitation District (EAWSD) is well funded and has hired legal and technical experts to convince the State Engineer to approve their request. We must mount a serious challenge to protect our rights. Santa Fe Basin Water Association would bring interested associations and individual protestants under joint representation by water attorney Mary Humphrey.
This challenge will only be possible if concerned and affected citizens come together to share the costs of our own experts. We expect it will cost around $20,000 to mount this defense. Your contribution of $25, $100, $200, or more will permit us to make the case for well owners and associations in the Galisteo Basin! Please send donations, large or small to Santa Fe Basin Water Association in the enclosed envelope and protect your well.
The Santa Fe Basin Water Association is a volunteer organization, founded in 1971 as the Agua Fria Water Users Association. In 1979 we incorporated to protect the underground waters within the Santa Fe Basin. Since its inception the Association has represented the citizens of Santa Fe City and County to provide a long-term view of water resources. We continue to work with local citizens’ groups, water associations and individuals to protect and enhance our shared groundwater.
Sincerely, John McGill, President SFBWA (john@nmwaterinfo.org)
Ps. go to our website, www.nmwaterinfo.org to join, and to register your email address. We don’t send out a lot of email, but when we do, it is worth reading, and definitely cheaper than the Post Office!
The County Protest: Many of you may have received letters from the State Engineer regarding SF County’s application – these are copies of a notification to John W. Utton, Esq. that the State Engineer has received his client’s applications. There is no need to do anything about this now, but soon we will send out letters to consolidate the 200+ protests of this transfer. The wells that the County wants to use could also impact wells in the Galisteo Basin, in addition to domestic wells in other parts of the county. We’ll be in touch.
Please send in your donations today!
For more information phone 988 1082, or email water@grappawireless.com
A hydrological map illustrating the Eldorado well field and the nearby communities can be found below.
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