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Plan. Conserve. Thrive.

Like many of our neighbors, New Mexico has a challenge ahead. But our desert climate is nothing new. Over our history, we have and will continue finding ways to adapt and sustain in the face of water shortages. Now is the time to put our knowledge into action, reducing use and planning ahead. It is a big task — and one that requires all of us.

Rulemaking

As part of the rulemaking process, NMISC is accepting public comments for the official record through September 27, 2025. To view the proposed rule, submit a comment, and access the docketed materials visit: here. A public hearing will begin on October 15 at 9:00 a.m. in Santa Fe. Following the hearing, the commission will deliberate and adopt, amend, or reject the proposed rule. Once finalized, NMISC will begin convening regional water security planning councils across the state.
Rulemaking to guide regional water planning across New Mexico is in process through the Water Security Planning Act. The New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission concluded its three-day public hearing on the Water Security Planning Act proposed rule on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025 with the commission now set to review testimony and public comments before deciding whether to adopt, amend, or reject the rule.
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Events

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What happens next:

Open Houses

April-August 2024

Initial Reports

November 2024

Discussion Draft

Spring and Summer 2025

Rule Promulgation

Fall 2025

Guidelines Adoption

Early 2026

    What we’ve done so far:

    Open Houses - 2024
    From April through August 2024 we heard from you at statewide and online Open Houses. 710 New Mexicans attended in-person open houses across New Mexico's 16 water regions and over 1000 people shared their voices online.
      Initial Reports - November 2024
      We published reports on what we heard, taking us one step closer to New Mexico’s roadmap for our water future. Read the reports on our Data and Reports page here.
        Discussion Draft - Summer 2025
        The Discussion Draft of the Rule and Guidelines provided New Mexicans a chance to comment before the official promulgation, or rulemaking, process began. We received over 100 responses which resulted in numerous substantive and structural changes to the Proposed Rule to make it as informed and useful as possible going forward.
          Public Hearing - October 2025
          NMISC held a public hearing which concluded on Friday, Oct 17, 2025. The hearing brought together a broad range of voices from across the state — both in person and online — ensuring that perspectives from individuals and communities across New Mexico were entered into the official record, including tribal officials, acequia members, farmers, ranchers, rural water users, and environmental groups.

            Making Every Desert Downpour Count

            Jun / 2026
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            New Mexico Water Stories:

            Making Every Desert Downpour Count

            Making Every Desert Downpour Count Can Stormwater Help New Mexico Weather A Historic Drought? Jun / 2026 It rushes down…
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            Farming Through The Worst Drought in 1,200 Years

            Farming Through The Worst Drought in 1,200 Years Threading a Needle in the Mesilla Valley Jun / 2026 James Sloan…
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            Compacts Benefit and Bind Us

            Compacts Benefit and Bind Us Balancing Interstate Water Obligations in Times of Drought May / 2026 Before 1878, when the…
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            Making Tribal Water Rights Right

            Making Tribal Water Rights Right The history and urgency of Indian water rights settlements May / 2026 In a few…
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            Off the Shelf

            Off the Shelf Next steps in water planning in New Mexico Apr / 2026 For decades, regional water plans in…
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            Measuring Up New Mexico’s Aquifers

            Measuring Up New Mexico’s Aquifers A closer look with Katie Zemlick, OSE Hydrology Bureau Chief Mar / 2026 Beneath New…
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            Trusted Water Resources

            Get the Facts

            Find expert information about New Mexico’s water realities.
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            Get Inspired

            Discover on-the-ground stories sharing regional insights and solutions from across New Mexico.
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            Water runs through everything, and right now, water is one of the biggest challenges we face in New Mexico. It is our time to find solutions together.

            Your trusted New Mexico water resource

            Main Stream New Mexico is your guide to revitalized regional water planning under New Mexico’s Water Security Planning Act of 2023. It is a campaign of the Interstate Stream Commission Water Planning Program.