New Mexico
Regional Water Planning
Our path to water security and resiliency
About Regional Water Planning in New Mexico
In 2023, the New Mexico Legislature unanimously passed the Water Security Planning Act to better equip communities facing projected water shortages. Since the Act’s passage, the Interstate Stream Commission has worked with communities across the state to develop a locally driven process for planning and taking action that is grounded in modern science, shared data, and community priorities.
Latest Update
WSPA Rule Has Passed
The Water Security Planning Act Rule has been adopted. Next steps are Guidelines and then Implementation. (See below for more information)
View The Rule
New Mexico Water Regions
With the passage of the WSPA Rule, New Mexico defined nine water regions.
Regional Planning Highlights
Rural
Support
Increased support for capacity development, infrastructure, and planning in rural areas to address unique water challenges.
Community
Leadership
Designed to support communities as they take the lead in their own regional water planning decisions.
Science and
Data-Driven
Planning
Thoughtful integration of the best available science and data in New Mexico’s regional water resource planning to ensure transparency, objectivity, and professionalism.
Regional
Assistance
Technical assistance to support regional water plan development and implementation.
Tribal
Sovereignty
Prioritization of the needs, sovereignty, and rights of tribal communities through an advisory council formed with the Indian Affairs Department and active involvement of pueblos, tribes, and nations in the decision-making process.
Accountability
Measures
Required reporting on regional water planning, including approved plans, outcomes, and expenditures on an annual basis.
Next Steps
The Interstate Stream Commission is now building guidelines, which will go before the governor-appointed Commission for review in the coming months. After guidelines are complete we will begin the first cohort of Regional Councils. Timing for implementation will be determined by the guideline adoption process.
After guideline adoption we will update this website with robust schedules, tools, templates and information to support regional councils as they form across New Mexico and begin water security planning.
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