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<br />Water Management Study: Upper Rio Grande Basin <br /> <br />published a handbook with assumptions, guidelines, and a template for <br />regional water planning (New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission 1994). <br />The handbook says that New Mexico may decide to use the regional plans as <br />a basis for a statewide water plan to influence litigation, water development, <br />and legislation. It does not take a statewide view of the interests competing <br />for water in each region, however, and instead "strongly encourages regions <br />to negotiate solutions to local water problems. The handbook emphasizes the <br />importance of promoting high levels of water quality, conservation, and <br />broad public participation, but leaves the details to each region's residents. <br /> <br />The fundamental premise underlying regional planning is that future water <br />needs and steps to meet those needs could best be worked out at the regional <br />level. In a November, 1996, account of the process, an advocacy group <br />promoting cooperative approaches, New Mexico Water Dialogue, concludes <br />that its "true worth ( is evident in a flourishing respect for cooperation and . <br />consen~us that today seems at least as prevalent as the old readiness to fight <br />for the right to water" and observes that "stakeholders are evolving a <br />distinctly New Mexican process for 'getting along.'" <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />i'. <br /> <br />ti <br /> <br />There are six planning regions in the Rio Grande Basin, covering the Rio <br />Chama watershed, Taos area, Santa Fe-Los Alamos area, Albuquerque area, <br />the sparsely populated counties north of Elephant Butte, and the area <br />between Elephant Butte and Texas. Funding for the plans is small, and <br />progress is slow. In some areas planning entities have yet to be formed, in <br />others they are trying to amend and flesh-out plans developed before the <br />handbook was published. <br /> <br />;~ <br />'-,/ <br /> <br />i~~ <br /> <br />h <br /> <br />i <br />P <br /> <br />5. Rio Grande Silvery Minnow <br /> <br />~~ <br /> <br />Following the kill-off of endangered Rio Grande silvery minnows in April <br />1996, and the subsequent threat oflitigation, several agencies tentatively <br />have taken the first steps toward the development of a long-term <br />water-management strategy, known as the "White Paper" for the Middle Rio <br />Grande Valley (Whitney et al. 1996).7 The plan recognizes the threat that, <br />absent successful cooperative efforts, water-management decisions may be <br />made in the courts. After acknowledging that past success meeting the <br />composite needs of the minnow and water users occurred largely because the <br /> <br />,. <br />'':r <br /> <br />",.- <br /> <br />t'.o_ <br /> <br />7 Participants in the development of the strategic plan represent: the City of <br />Albuquerque. Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District, New Mexico Interstate Stream <br />Commission. CaE, BuRec, and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. <br /> <br />i',." <br /> <br />;:,.! <br /> <br />118 <br /> <br />C. r 1)"'09 <br />~ j 1.) ... :, v <br /> <br />~; <br /> <br />~~f!: <br />~ <br />,5 <br />