Albuquerque stopped drawing water from the Rio Grande on April 24 and processed its last surface water three days later — leaving the water authority running entirely on groundwater reserves months before summer heat peaks, a water authority spokesperson confirmed Wednesday. The early shift marks a significant milestone in what water managers are calling one […]
Environment, Conservation & Climate
Stories related to our ongoing coverage of environmental issues in New Mexico.
Posted inNM.news
Luján meets with northern New Mexico communities to organize against uranium drilling in Chama watershed
U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján led a community conversation in Canjilon recently to discuss a proposal for uranium drilling and mineral development by Gamma Resources Ltd., a Canadian-based company. During the meeting, Luján listened to the concerns of community members, ranchers, farmers, acequia members, Tribal leaders and Land Grant Members regarding the impacts the proposal […]
Posted inEnvironment, Conservation & Climate
New legislation seeks permanent protection for Caja del Rio plateau
All five members of New Mexico’s federal delegation to Congress are joining forces to protect the Caja del Rio outside Santa Fe. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., and Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, D-N.M., introduced the Caja del Rio Protection Act on May 8 to permanently safeguard the culturally and ecologically significant Caja del Rio plateau, according […]
Posted inCorrales
Smarter than the average bear?
The Village of Corrales and northwest Albuquerque have had an unusual — and elusive — tourist over the last couple of days. Residents report seeing a black bear in both communities, with state and local animal control authorities a step behind in their pursuit. In his weekly message to the community, Corrales Mayor Fred Hashimoto […]
Posted inEnvironment, Conservation & Climate
With Promises of Money, Controversial Gas Pipeline on Navajo Nation Passes First Hurdle
By Jerry Redfern, Capital & Main — A 234-mile stretch of pipeline that could carry natural gas or natural gas-hydrogen blends across the Navajo Nation is a step closer to reality. This story is republished with permission from Capital & Main, an award-winning nonprofit publication repoorting on the most pressing economic, environmental and social issues of […]
Posted inCorrales
Weekend precipitation doesn’t get Corrales pumps going
The reprieve water regulators and irrigators were hoping for in the first weekend of May didn’t come. While parts of the Albuquerque area saw some rain and it snowed elsewhere in New Mexico, that precipitation was not enough to turn the pumps serving Corrales back on, according to Amanda Molina, a spokesperson for the Middle […]
Posted inEnvironment, Conservation & Climate
State offers free water testing for Tijeras residents
Tijeras residents who rely on private wells for drinking water can get their water tested for free this Saturday, May 9, at a one-day public health event. The New Mexico Environment Department and the New Mexico Department of Health are hosting the water testing event from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.at the Tijeras Senior Center at 10 Tijeras Ave, Tijeras, NM 87059. Testing is free to the first 100 participants. Well water tests typically cost about $150. Testing comes just weeks after NMED announced that water systems serving over […]
Posted inCorrales
Our Dark Sky Legacy: The Bigger Picture
Editor’s note: This is the fourth and final article in a series submitted by Village of Corrales Code Enforcement Officer Dennis Edeal on lighting in the village. Previous articles are available at corralescomment.com. Why This Matters and How to Stay Compliant We’ve spent three articles talking about lumens and shields, property lines and fixture heights, […]
Posted inCorrales
Weekend precipitation critical to Corrales’ irrigation hopes
The pumps for Corrales are shut down, but Mother Nature could get them back up and running after this weekend. Anne Marken, river operations manager for the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District, said the water level in the river has fallen below where it needs to be to operate the pumps serving the village, and […]
Posted inPlacitas
Placitas PREP to host fire-behavior presentation
April doesn’t just mean it’s baseball season. It’s also fire season, and a group in Placitas is trying to ensure residents know how much danger is out there. Placitas Resilience & Emergency Preparedness Alliance (PREP) is hosting a May 12 presentation by District Ranger Ken Born of the U.S. Forest Service on possible wildfire behavior […]