CNGA LooseLeaf April/May19

Santa Fe gets surface water, which is dependent on snowpack, from two sources: the Santa Fe River and the San Juan- Chama project, which brings in water from the Colorado River Basin. Both of those basins are having good snowpack by comparison with recent years—just about average looking at long-term trends—which means that we should have good reservoir levels and good surface water availability. We’re still expecting an average spring— which, compared to recent years, will feel like a wet spring. So, it seems that water supplies will be adequate this summer for landscape irrigation. Even when reservoir levels are low, the city has groundwater wells and can access that water to meet high demands. Still, as always, the high desert is a dry place and efficient, mindful use of water is the only responsible way to live here for long. There are some restrictions—like time of day restrictions—that are always in effect. It’s not likely that additional watering restrictions will be placed on Santa Fe this year, but if they are that could happen at any time. For example, if we were to have a forest fire in the Santa Fe River watershed, it could immediately limit our ability to produce water and lead to additional restrictions. Still, barring catastrophe, it looks like we won’t have any additional restrictions this year. The city has substantial groundwater reserves with more than adequate water rights to produce the entire water supply for the system from groundwater in a single year. However, recharge to the aquifer—the rate at which the groundwater refills—is very slow and every gallon of groundwater that we use takes several years to replace. We manage groundwater like a savings account—it’s there if it’s needed, but we want to preserve it as much as possible. So, when it gets dry and the city goes on to groundwater, that’s an important time for folks to conserve water because that’s the water that’s going to get us through future droughts and shortages. This year so far, it seems as if it will be a normal year in terms of precipitation within our area. It also looks like it will be a wet spring (it’s raining right now as we speak). Plus, the March–May prediction is for a wetter than average spring for us. We don’t expect any outdoor watering restrictions based on all weather reports we are seeing. Customers don’t need to be concerned about water supplies this year, based on the information we have so far. The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority has extensive groundwater resources. The expectation is if we have poor surface water availability, we will use groundwater. For the past 10 years, groundwater levels have been rising and that trend is expected to continue for several decades. Our conservation program has been in existence for more than 20 years, so our customers are very careful about using water wisely in the landscape. Even if we do have a hotter, drier summer, we’ve used less water overall so we have a cushion. Our water authority is also very proactive in collaborating with businesses in the green industry to develop our programs. We just had an open house where 40 landscape professionals attended. When we work on watering guidelines for the Albuquerque area, we partner with landscape designers, installers, and garden centers. We value those relationships to ensure our water conservation methods and messages are sustainable and accurate. For the Santa Fe Municipal Watershed, Good Water Levels Expected, Barring a Catastrophe By Andrew Erdmann, Water Conservation Specialist, Santa Fe Water Division Right now, snowpack is average to above average, so Colorado Springs Utilities so far does not expect negative impacts to water availability this summer. We look to NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center for forecasting, and they predict increased chances of a wetter than usual spring in Colorado. Colorado Springs should have adequate water supplies this summer. We are fortunate to have water stored in 25 different reservoirs, and those supplies are currently average for this time of year. Based upon current conditions, watering restrictions are not likely in 2019, but that is a decision we would make in April if we thought it was necessary. We won’t have any need for water supplementation this year, but typically if Colorado Springs does, it’s because we work to recover storage in the year(s) after a drought. There is usually no additional water available to lease during a drought year. For Colorado Springs, Adequate Irrigation Supplies Anticipated By Kalsoum Abbasi, Water Conveyance Engineer & Supervisor, Colorado Springs Utilities For Albuquerque Metro Area, Looks Like Normal Water Year By Katherine Yuhas, Water Resources Division Manager, Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority Photo courtesy of Santa Fe Water Division Photo courtesy of Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority 11 LooseLeaf  April/May 2019 colorad o nga.org