ISC News:SANTA FE ― The Interstate Stream Commission accepted the Jemez y Sangre Regional Water Plan, Nov. 17.
The presentation of the plan by regional Steering Committee representatives, Santa Fe County Commissioner Kathy Holian and Water Resources Coordinator Andrew Erdmann of the City of Santa Fe Water Division, to the commission focused on the key water issues, collaborative strategies and regional recommendations for consideration in the state water plan update.
Members of the regional Steering Committees worked together to identify projects, programs and policies of greatest interest and paths to implementation for the Jemez y Sangre region.
Regional water planning was initiated in New Mexico in 1987, its primary purpose being to protect New Mexico water resources and to ensure that each region is prepared to meet its future water demands. There are sixteen water planning regions identified throughout the state.
The Regional Water Plan for Jemez y Sangre provides new and changed information related to water planning since the creation of the original Regional Water Plan and discusses projections of future water supply and demand for the region as well as strategies to meet future demand.
The Jemez y Sangre Steering Committee discussed and compiled new projects, programs and policies to meet future water demand, as well as identified key collaborative projects, which may have larger regional or sub-regional impacts.
In the Jemez y Sangre Region, some of the key collaborative projects presented included watershed restoration, mapping regional climate resiliency, Española Basin groundwater model, regional water supply monitoring, protecting local agriculture, consolidating mutual domestic resources, as appropriate, Santa Fe Basin regional water authority evaluation, planning for resilience and restoration in the greater Santa Fe fireshed and preparing the region to be more resilient under climate change. These projects also represent an interest in collaboration with entities in the region as well as other water planning regions to seek funding and for implementation.
The Interstate Stream Commission manages the Regional and State Water Planning programs.
For more information and to view the Jemez y Sangre Regional Water Plan, visit here.
