New Mexico's Water Crisis: Time for Bold Action
New Mexico is facing a water crisis. Over the next 50 years we can expect our surface waters to decline by at least 25%. Meanwhile, temperatures are expected to rise by up to 7°F—which means that as water availability is declining, the need for that water will be increasing. It’s clear that water can’t wait.
We’ve had some great ideas on how to address the water challenges we are experiencing now and those that we know are coming. Items like the Water Data Initiative, where New Mexico is leading the nation in water data accessibility and transparency, and the recommendations of the Water Policy and Infrastructure Taskforce, which identified over a dozen actions we can take right now to meet our water challenges. Now is the time to see those ideas through by making significant investments to secure New Mexico’s water future.
We must send a strong message to our state leaders to prioritize water this legislative session and invest in real solutions that will help build resiliency and water security for all the plant, wildlife, and human communities that depend on our most precious resource.
Make your voice heard by sending a letter to Governor Lujan Grisham asking her to make water a priority in her executive budget this year by investing in solutions with broad consensus!
Your Message:
Governor Lujan Grisham,
Thank you for the actions you have taken to ensure New Mexico’s water future! I’m writing to you today to ask you to take the next step to build resiliency and security for all the plant, wildlife, and human communities that depend on our most precious resource.
As our supplies dwindle and demands increase, it is clear that water can’t wait.
Under your leadership, New Mexico has taken big strides in addressing our water challenges. From the establishment of the Water Data Initiative to the recommendations identified through the Water Policy and Infrastructure Taskforce, there are a number of ideas ready to move that can provide significant benefit for the Land of Enchantment’s waters.
But there’s a lot more to do. Many of the recommendations identified by the Taskforce remain unfunded. The needs are great, but we have an opportunity to move the needle in moving forward these recommendations by making significant investments today.
Please ensure these priorities are funded appropriately in your FY2026 budget. In particular, we hope you will include full funding for the Aquifer Mapping Program, Water Data Initiative, and capacity building within our water agencies. Without these resources we cannot be prepared for the challenges ahead.
We must prioritize water this legislative session; our cultures, communities, economies, and environment depend on it.
Sincerely,
[First Name] [Last Name]
