How Data Can Inspire Action: A Closer Look at the Water Use by Categories Report
A wise water leader once said, “You can’t manage what you don’t measure.” When the future developers of New Mexico’s regional water plans begin their work, they’ll have a treasure trove of data to draw upon — and some knowledge gaps to fill in.
In November, the Office of the State Engineer’s Water Use and Conservation Bureau released its twice-a-decade water-data snapshot, the Water Use by Categories Report, which summarizes water data from 2020. The title alone may bring up visions of spreadsheets analyzed beneath fluorescent light in drab government buildings, but contained within its pages are valuable insights into where and how New Mexico’s scant water resources are used.
Ever wonder how much water evaporates from the surface of New Mexico’s reservoirs each year? Or whether the majority of our water comes from above or below the surface? Curious to know how much water we use now compared to 1975? Or how farmers water their crops these days?
The report provides an oft-fascinating glimpse into the state’s water use — and helps us as we plan for a water-scarce future.
“Understanding how each sector uses water is the key to effective water management,” said the report’s lead author, Julie Valdez, who heads up the state’s Water Use and Conservation Bureau. “ Knowing where we use water also helps us design more effective water conservation programs.”
Conservation: Voluntary and Involuntary
Valdez has worked for the bureau for more than 20 years — during which time she’s seen signs that the state’s conservation efforts are paying off. In 2020, New Mexico used 3.8 million acre-feet of water, or about enough to cover all of San Juan County in one foot of water. Despite a growing population, that’s a decrease from 2000, when the state used 4.2 million acre-feet of water, and it’s a sign, Valdez says, that New Mexicans are working hard to be good stewards of the state’s resources.
Of those 3.8 million acre-feet, municipalities and residential users used about 300,000 acre-feet, or just under 10%. Most of the rest was used by commercial, agricultural, mining, ranching, and industrial users. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the agricultural sector is by far the biggest consumer in the state, accounting for 78% of diversions.
New Mexico’s farmers have made the most of scant resources for thousands of years. And since 2000, farmers have flexed their conservation muscles, reducing their use from 3.2 million acre-feet to 3 million acre-feet.
Some of that reduction has not been voluntary.
“New Mexico is working hard to find ways to compensate farmers for doing things like fallowing their fields, for example, but most of the reduction in use comes from involuntary conservation,” says Paul Harms, a water resources specialist who works with Valdez at the Water Use and Conservation Bureau. “When there’s less water coming in, districts have less water to send to farmers. And we’ll probably see more and more of that in the future.”
Scientists predict 25 percent less available water in New Mexico over the next 50 years, thanks in large part to human-caused climate change. That is why it is so important for us to do our part and only take what we need - no more.
Still, advances in farming practices combined with fallowing programs and other incentives, have helped make it easier for farmers to conserve, Valdez says. Farmers are laser leveling their fields and using more efficient irrigation. (Just 0.74 percent of acreage was drip irrigated in 2000. Twenty years later, that number has jumped to 2.1 percent.)
Here are a few other insights from this year’s report:
- Nearly 7.5% of New Mexico’s total water use in 2020, or 283,000 acre-feet (1 acre-foot is enough water for around 3-4 households for a year), can be attributed to evaporation from the surface of the state’s largest reservoirs. This is likely to increase as temperatures rise statewide.
- New Mexico used about the same amount of groundwater as surface water in 2020. That’s a change from 2000, when about 55% of our water came from surface water. That extra groundwater use puts a strain on aquifers, which can be slow to recharge.
- The commercial, industrial, mining, power, and livestock industries together used 6% of the state’s water in 2025, or about 226,000 acre-feet.
Why It Matters
Apart from inspiring a bit of fascination, the Water Use by Categories Report is a treasure trove of information for regional water planners, whose work is about to kick off in earnest in New Mexico.
The passage of the Water Security Planning Act of 2023 triggered a flurry of work at the Interstate Stream Commission to prepare the state for regional water planning. Now that the law is fully enacted, water stakeholders, empowered through Regional Water Planning Councils, across New Mexico will get to work planning for a drier future. And they’ll use the report’s water usage and population data to help prioritize projects.
They’ll also likely use the New Mexico Water Data Initiative, a collaboration of several state agencies, including ISC, that have a stake in water planning. The site consolidates water data into a centralized repository. Wondering how many wells have been drilled in New Mexico? Or which of our wells are increasing or decreasing in capacity? There’s a map for that on New Mexico Water Data Initiative.
The more we can visualize and track our water resources, the better we can plan to use them responsibly, together. To learn how you can contribute to regional water planning in New Mexico, visit the Get Involved page.