'Water Speculation' Pushes Gila River on to 'Most Endangered' List

from the NEW MEXICO NEWS CONNECTION - A statewide news service for New Mexico

Datil, NM - A new report (from the group American Rivers) names the Gila River as one of the nation's 'Ten Most Endangered,' citing a massive water diversion project that has met local opposition. A new report finds the Gila River is being endangered by out-of-state speculators, but not the kind you might expect. A New York company hopes to pump billions of gallons of groundwater from the San Augustine Basin and pipe it to the Rio Grande to help the state meet its water compact obligations to Texas. A report from the group American Rivers finds the plan could impact the flows of the Gila River, which it lists as one of the country's 'Ten Most Endangered Rivers.' Bruce Frederick with the New Mexico Environmental Law Center calls it 'water speculation' that is contrary to the public welfare, saying "And that's not allowed under New Mexico water law, you can't speculate in water, you have to put water to beneficial use within a reasonable amount of time."

The company, Augustin Plains Ranch LLC, says the plan could create a new source of water for cities along the Rio Grande - but several opponents say it amounts to a water grab that could pit bigger cities against rural areas.  Andrew Fahlund with American Rivers says the state should look to conservation measures to meet its obligations and make it a priority to protect the Gila, "The Gila in its natural state is one of the great rivers in the nation, and in fact is the place where we founded the Wilderness Act in this country and it would be a tragedy to move forward with this project." The report is online at americanrivers.org .