Get Involved In Your Water Planning: 

Rulemaking to guide regional water planning across New Mexico is in process through the Water Security Planning Act. The New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission (NMISC) is accepting public comments on the proposed rule for the official record through September 27, 2025. To view the proposed rule, submit a comment, and access the docketed materials:
Click Here
A public hearing will begin on October 15 at 9:00 a.m. at the Willie Ortiz Building 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.

About the 2023 Water Security Planning Act

The Water Security Planning Act (WSPA) is New Mexico’s guiding legislation for regional water planning and management. It was passed in 2023 to secure a resilient water future for our state, replacing the 1987 regional water planning statute.

The WSPA fosters regional engagement, local leadership, and scientific rigor by laying the groundwork for sustainable water management and coordination across New Mexico. It prioritizes the unique needs of local communities, makes use of the best available science and data, and ensures compliance with federal and state laws.

Events

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What Has Happened So Far:

Open Houses

April-August 2024

Initial Reports

November 2024

Discussion Draft

Spring and Summer 2025

Rule Promulgation

Fall 2025

Guidelines Adoption

Early 2026

    The first phase of implementing WSPA focused on public engagement. In 2024, NMISC collected feedback from more than 2,300 New Mexicans at a series of 16 in-person open house meetings across the state, including a virtual option. The public engagement process resulted in more than 25,000 individual feedback points which were organized, coded, analyzed and compiled into reports (available on mainstreamnm.org/data-and-reports/).

    Along with the public engagement, NMISC coordinated with New Mexico Indian Affairs Department to form the Water Security Tribal Advisory Council (WSTAC). This group, required by WSPA, was formalized in late 2024 and has continued meeting through the current phase.

    The public engagement reports, along with recommendations from WSTAC, informed the proposed regional boundaries as well as the Discussion Draft of the Rule and Guidelines, a document that provided New Mexicans a chance to comment before the official promulgation, or rule-making, process began.

    NMISC received over 100 responses on the Discussion Draft Rule and Guidelines and took the time to read and consider all the feedback that was provided as part of this process. This resulted in numerous substantive and structural changes to the Proposed Rule to make it as informed and useful as possible going forward.

    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: https://www.ose.nm.gov/RulesRegs/rulemaking.php. 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.

    The first phase of implementing WSPA focused on public engagement. In 2024, NMISC collected feedback from more than 2,300 New Mexicans at a series of 16 in-person open house meetings across the state, including a virtual option. The public engagement process resulted in more than 25,000 individual feedback points which were organized, coded, analyzed and compiled into reports (available here).

    Along with the public engagement, NMISC coordinated with New Mexico Indian Affairs Department to form the Water Security Tribal Advisory Council (WSTAC). This group, required by WSPA, was formalized in late 2024 and has continued meeting through the current phase.

    The public engagement reports, along with recommendations from WSTAC, informed the proposed regional boundaries as well as the Discussion Draft of the Rule and Guidelines, a document that provided New Mexicans a chance to comment before the official promulgation, or rule-making, process began.

    NMISC received over 100 responses on the Discussion Draft Rule and Guidelines and took the time to read and consider all the feedback that was provided as part of this process. This resulted in numerous substantive and structural changes to the Proposed Rule to make it as informed and useful as possible going forward.

    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.

    Public Comment Portal

    What Is Next:

    Once the WSPA rulemaking hearing is completed, the Commission will deliberate and may adopt, amend, or reject the proposed Rule. After adoption of a Rule, the WSPA Guidelines will be revisited by the NMISC Planning Program staff to see if any adjustments need to be made. The proposed Guidelines would then be presented to the Commission for input and adoption at one of their scheduled meetings. Once finalized, the NMISC will begin to convene Regional Water Security Planning Councils, or support self-convening Councils. A schedule for formation of Councils will be provided this winter.