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WHY
ACT? |
SAVE
YOUR
WATER RIGHTS
Catron County Water Coalition
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WATER RIGHTS ISSUES are crucial to Catron County, New Mexico. Located in the high desert of southwestern USA, this area's pure water is scarce for all living things. Those who don't live in this low population rural area seem to consider Catron County a discount store for natural resources, and somehow feel that it is an acceptable thing to raid the shelves with scant concern for the impact on the residents, be they human, wildlife or vegetation. Big dollar corporations have begun to look to raid Catron County's water supply to make millions and even billions of dollars profit, while sucking the precious water from the ground and leaving the County dry. Recently to major attempts to raid the County's water have occurred; if the NM Office of State Engineer approves the applications, billions of gallons of water per year will be removed from local aquifers, threatening all prior rights, watersheds and downstream water users, as well as our wildlife, woodlands and forests. The local economy, largely agricultural, will be destroyed. The issues of water rights is just one aspects of the attack on all property rights of rural Americans. The Catron County Water Coalition is dedicated to protection of water rights and supports the protection of all property rights of rural Americans. Note: 1 million gallons per day (mgd), = 1120 acre feet per year. Broe Land & Acquisitions
Inc. Application Augustin
Plains Ranch LLC Application
This NY based corporation has applied for 37 drilling permits, all with 20-inch casing, and all approximately 3000 feet deep, to be located in Catron County north and south of U.S. Highway 60 between the Catron-Socorro County Line and Datil. The amount of water these wells would remove from the aquifer would be approximately 17 billion gallons per year (46.5 million gallons of water per day). The OSE granted a permit for the LLC to drill a more than 3000' exploratory well (drilling has begun as of 09/08). The LLC also submitted an amended original application expanding the "affected counties" to essentially all in the Rio Grande Basin, and changing the use of water to include essentially every use possible. WHAT YOU CAN DO It will take the efforts of many to counter the millions of dollars that these corporations have to invest in these water grabs. Please keep informed, and please join the efforts of Catron County Water Coalition to fight to save our water rights. > Write to your County
Commissioners, your Mayors, your State
and Federal Legislators Mail checks to: Please note in memo: Water Coalition |
contact: water@catroncounty.net (575) 773-4835