The New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission (NMISC) will host public meetings Sept. 8-23 in Las Cruces, Hatch and Anthony, New Mexico, to provide more information and answer questions about its Lower Rio Grande (LRG) Water Management Pilot Project, NMISC said in a news release.
NMISC will begin accepting grant applications for the program Monday, Sept. 25.
The program was created is to initiate groundwater conservation actions that will ensure New Mexico has a sustainable groundwater supply, NMISC said in a news release. Under the program, grants will be provided to compensate willing irrigators in the LRG basin for temporarily conserving groundwater by not irrigating previously irrigated parcels for a period of two years. Applications to participate will be accepted Sept. 25-Oct. 16, 2023.
Public meetings are scheduled:
Grant application information sessions are scheduled:
Register for all events at www.surveymonkey.com/r/J8ZKMB6.
Contact Lilly Irvin-Vitela at 505 234 0694 and lilly@communityconnectsconsulting.com.
The pilot program operated 2022-23, during which NMISC administered more than 70 grant agreements with voluntary participants who chose to temporarily stop irrigating their land for one-year periods, NMISC said. During the pilot phase, about 2,500 acres of land was temporarily fallowed and NMISC issued $3.6 million in grants.
For more information, visit www.ose.state.nm.us/LRGGWCP/index.php.
The webpage will be updated to include recordings of the listening and application information sessions, FAQs, the program application form, a sample contract and more, the news release said.
