For immediate release
March 21, 2025
Bill to improve tool keeping more water in New Mexico’s waterways passes legislature
Contacts:
Caitlin Weber, Western Resource Advocates, caitlin.weber@westernresources.org, 505-372-4937
Tricia Snyder, New Mexico Wild, tricia@nmwild.org, 575-636-0625
Zoe Barker, Conservation Voters New Mexico, zoe@cvnm.org, 505-490-3285
Santa Fe, N.M. (March 21, 2025) – Yesterday, the New Mexico Legislature passed Senate Bill 37 in a 42-20 vote, making critical improvements to the state’s Strategic Water Reserve. The Reserve was established in 2005 and allows the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission to buy, lease, or accept donated water, and keep that water in rivers for two purposes: to comply with interstate water sharing agreements; and to benefit threatened or endangered species, and prevent future species listings. However, funding challenges and program limitations have kept the Reserve from reaching its full potential.
SB37 will:
● create a non-reverting fund for the Reserve, where money is set aside and does not expire, since it can take multiple years to complete a lease or purchase of water rights;
● add a 3rd purpose to allow water to be acquired to support aquifer recharge, that both maintains healthy stream flows and replenishes groundwater supplies;
● allow the state to prioritize transactions that provide supplementary benefits, such as recreation or cultural uses, as well as meeting one of the three primary purposes.
“Over the next 50 years, the amount of water flowing in our rivers and streams is expected to drop by 25%. It’s critical that we have tools in place to protect our rivers and communities,” said Anjali Bean, senior policy advisor at Western Resource Advocates. “By passing SB37, the legislature has helped ensure the Strategic Water Reserve will benefit our communities and environment for generations.”
“New Mexico’s water crisis requires that we hone every tool at our disposal to stretch our water supplies and meet multiple needs,” said Tricia Snyder rivers and waters program director for New Mexico Wild. “Thank you to the bill sponsors for championing this important piece of legislation. We’re excited to see this pass the legislature and looking forward to the governor’s signature.”
“New Mexico’s waters are becoming increasingly difficult to manage under the impacts of climate change,” said Zoe Barker, conservation director at Conservation Voters New
Mexico. “This modernized Strategic Water Reserve will help keep streams flowing for the benefit of wildlife, recreation, cultural resources and downstream deliveries.”
“Think New Mexico was proud to work with legislators of both parties and a broad coalition of stakeholders to enact the legislation creating the Strategic Water Reserve twenty years ago, and the updates included in Senate Bill 37 will make it an even more effective tool to keep more water in New Mexico’s rivers in the years ahead,” said Kristina Fisher, Associate Director of Think New Mexico.
“The waters of New Mexico are vital for so many reasons. GreenLatinos New Mexico is grateful to Senators Stefanics and Wirth and Representatives Dixon and McQueen for their leadership in expanding the Strategic Water Reserve to ensure protections for our environment and access for cultural and religious uses,” said Carlos Matutes, State Program Director for GreenLatinos New Mexico.
“The passage of SB37 and its update to the Strategic Water Reserve is a key step forward in how New Mexico strategically thinks about our water resources. It’s a key example of how we can leverage our water for all multiple purposes, including community and irrigation uses and for the environment, said Steven Fry, Projects and Policy Specialist at Amigos Bravos.”
“This update to the Strategic Water Reserve via SB37 strengthens the program in ways that carry multiple benefits and ensure our communities, agriculture, wildlife, and ecosystems get the most benefit from this program,” said Emily Wolf, Rio Grande Coordinator, American Rivers Action Fund. “A stronger Strategic Water Reserve fills a crucial gap in fostering healthy rivers and fulfilling water delivery and wildlife needs, as well as supporting water rights holders who are interested in utilizing this voluntary tool.”
“The Strategic Water Reserve lets us address our water crisis in a truly creative way. Having funds available when they are needed can bring water to our rivers not only to help species and ensure water for our compact commitments, but also to help recharge our aquifers,” said Camilla Feibelman, executive director, Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter. “One example of how this program can work that means a lot to us is the Jicarilla Apache Nation lease that went to the San Juan river. The updates to this program will allow us to replicate these successes.”
“New Mexico’s groundwater and surface waters are becoming increasingly constrained due to climate change and overuse. In addition to being an important tool in protecting stream flows, the passage of SB37 now also enables the Strategic Water Reserve to be used to support adaptive groundwater management to reduce groundwater depletion,” said Anélyse Regelbrugge, State Affairs Southwest Region Analyst with Environmental Defense Fund. “This marks an important step forward in recognizing the fundamental interconnections between New Mexico’s groundwater and surface waters and the immediate need to improve our tools and strategies to holistically manage these precious water resources.”
“The Strategic Water Reserve is one of the most important tools New Mexico has to keep water flowing in our precious rivers and streams, said Judy Calman, New Mexico Policy Director for Audubon Southwest. “Making it more flexible to address the needs of species and New Mexicans is a crucial way to equip the state with more tools to meet 21st. century challenges”.
SB37 vote history and path forward:
✔ Senate Conservation: passed 6-3 on 02/11
✔ Senate Finance: passed 10-1 on 03/01
✔ Senate Floor: passed 25-15 on 03/04
✔ House Agriculture, Acequias, and Water Resources: passed 4-3 on 03/13
✔ House Appropriations and Finance: 13-2 on 03/18
✔ House Floor: passed 42-20 on 03/20
⬜ Governor’s signature
