Letter to the editor - July 30

ENMWUA work on water should proceed

I have read both letters to the editor published in The Eastern New Mexico News by Warren Frost, plus all of his other articles respecting the water pipeline from Clovis to Ute Lake at Logan.

Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority is the “smarter” in proceeding with the pipeline.

As for costs, the value of the pipeline today and its value in the future support the pipeline. Look, even Portales can’t furnish sufficient water for its population today by pumping. What about Cannon Air Force Base? What about Texico?

The misunderstanding of the pumping of water leads to misstatements. None of the acreage to be purchased by ENMWUA will produce 3 acre foot of water per year times the acres purchased. No, the 10,290 acres will not produce 30,870 acre feet per year for Clovis per year. At most one hopes initial production will be about 6,500 acre foot per year. And, pumping results in the depletion of the water supply – it’s not forever.

Also, production costs increase per acre foot of water produced as the depletion takes place. The so called Paleo Channel is not full of water nor is it replenished to any extent from other sources or rainfall.

Take a look at the Portales Valley Channel — wells have been drying up with a large part of the area removed from irrigation due to the pumping costs and lowering of the water table. The same applies to the so-called Paleo Channel. You may be able to pump most of the water from each acre if you drill a well on each acre, but that’s not “cheaper.”

One cannot ignore the rate of transmissibility for water. The reason New Mexico’s ground water doesn’t move to Texas in any measure is the fact the movement is around one foot per year. It would take 5,280 years to move a mile. We are not going to lose our ground water to Texas. Nor should be lose the surface water at Ute Dam to Texas by having failed to appropriate our allocation as provided by law.

Both Lubbock and Amarillo use surface water from Ute Dam and supplement it with well water. The ground water (well water) will be there until depleted.

Yes, the plan to use Ute Dam water first and to supplement the needs with ground water is the best plan. Ground water is our water bank to the future.

Now, ENMWUA has been providing for our water bank in having restricted pumping from the Paleo Channel. ENMWUA is doing its job, and doing it well. Let them proceed.

Michael T. Garrett

Clovis