Your Guide to A Sustainable Shared Water Future In New Mexico
Main Stream New Mexico connects water data, stories, and solutions to plan, conserve, and thrive together.
Main Stream is a campaign of the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission Water Planning Program. It is a resource for revitalized regional water planning under New Mexico’s Water Security Planning Act of 2023.
Draft Guidelines Open For Public Input
The New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission (NMISC) has released the draft guidelines under the Water Security Planning Act (WSPA) and is inviting public input through August 31, 2026. The draft guidelines complement Rule 19.25.16 NMAC, which took effect April 9, 2026, and lay out a practical roadmap for how each region will build its own water security plan.
The draft guidelines describe the five-stage planning process, Organize, Explore, Prioritize, Plan and Action, that each region will follow, and the many ways New Mexicans can take part: self-identifying as a potential regional planning council at-large member, joining as a region-specific stakeholder, or competing for planning and project funding. In short, they decide how much local voice gets built into regional water planning, which is why reviewing the draft and sharing feedback now matters.
Review the draft guidelines and submit your input through August 31, 2026, using the links below.
New Mexico’s Regional Water Planning Mapping Tool
This tool provides an introduction to water data which incorporates various tried-and-true data sets. It pairs population data from the Census with water data from the New Mexico Water Data Act, and overlays those with Water Use by Categories reports from both 2015 and 2020 (among other data sets).
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Water Facts for New Mexicans
Where does city water go after I use it?
After use, water travels to treatment plants, and in some communities, gets recycled for parks, industry, or groundwater recharge. Reusing water means we get more from every drop.
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How can water systems save water?
If communities across New Mexico prioritized improving infrastructure for stormwater catchment, irrigation channels, and pipes — our state could save thousands of acre feet.
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Can We Run Out of Groundwater?
Groundwater is built over thousands of years. When we pump more than is recharged from the surface, we risk running out. The future of our aquifers depends on one simple choice: How much water will we save today? So do your part. Only take what you need.
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What’s a Water Compact — And Why Do States Fight Over It?
Rivers don’t stop at state lines, so how do neighboring states share water? They use water compacts, sharing agreements that benefit and bind us.
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What is the Role of Reservoirs in the Desert?
Reservoirs have shaped life in New Mexico more than you might think. But drought, low snowpack, and a warming climate have dropped many reservoirs to historic lows, making conservation and collaboration more important than ever. So do your part, only take what you need.
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How dry is New Mexico, really?
New Mexico is in its driest period in 1,000 years. Tree rings show natural records of rain and snow stretching back centuries. Those rings reveal long stretches of “normal dry”... and the extreme dry we’re living through right now. Our ecosystems are parched, and our water supplies are at risk. So do your part. Only take what you need.
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Worried About Water in New Mexico?
Through floods and droughts, New Mexicans have always adapted. Now, as climate change reshapes our water future, it's time to act together. We are all connected by water, and small changes can secure our water future. So do your part. Only take what you need.
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What's The Link Between Snow and Our Rivers?
New Mexico rivers change a lot from season to season. Ever wonder why? Snowfall plays a big role. Each winter, snow creates frozen stores of water in the high mountains. This melts in the spring, feeding rivers and streams. But New Mexico winters are becoming dryer, warmer, and shorter, reducing the flow. So do your part. Only take what you need.
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Does A Hotter Climate Mean Less Water?
Our climate is heating up. As average annual temperatures rise — even by just one degree — more water evaporates from our landscapes, reservoirs, and rivers, leaving less to go around. So do your part. Only take what you need.
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How Does Groundwater Work?
In New Mexico, over 98% of public water systems rely on groundwater. As New Mexico gets warmer and our rivers and streams become increasingly stressed, more communities will turn to limited groundwater to meet demands. Do your part. Only take what you need.
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Where does city water go after I use it?Click to learn more
How can water systems save water?Click to learn more
Can We Run Out of Groundwater?Click to learn more
What’s a Water Compact — And Why Do States Fight Over It?Click to learn more
What is the Role of Reservoirs in the Desert?Click to learn more
How dry is New Mexico, really?Click to learn more
Worried About Water in New Mexico?Click to learn more
What's The Link Between Snow and Our Rivers?Click to learn more
Does A Hotter Climate Mean Less Water?Click to learn more
How Does Groundwater Work?Click to learn more
New Mexico Water Stories
Making Every Desert Downpour Count
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Farming Through The Worst Drought in 1,200 Years
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Compacts Benefit and Bind Us
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Making Tribal Water Rights Right
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Off the Shelf
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Measuring Up New Mexico’s Aquifers
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WaterTAP – A New Tool For Public Water System Managers
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Can weather data help us dodge disaster?
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Investing in Farm- and Ranch-Led Drought Solutions
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Supporting Acequia Resilience
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