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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T
SPONSOR Smith
DATE TYPED 3/10/05
HB
SHORT TITLE Animas Valley Watershed Hydrographic Survey
SB 1028
ANALYST Aguilar
APPROPRIATION
Appropriation Contained Estimated Additional Impact Recurring
or Non-Rec
Fund
Affected
FY05
FY06
FY05
FY06
$100.0
Recurring General Fund
(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)
Duplicates HB589
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
LFC Files
Responses Received From
New Mexico Department of the Agriculture (NMDA)
Attorney General’s Office (AGO)
Office of the State Engineer (OSE)
SUMMARY
Synopsis of Bill
Senate Bill 1028 appropriates $100 thousand from the general fund to the Office of the State En-
gineer for the purpose of accomplishing a hydrographic survey of the Animas valley watershed
and an adjudication of the water rights in the watershed.
SB 1028 declares an emergency.
Significant Issues
The Animas Valley compromises approximately 425 square miles in the boot heel region of New
Mexico. The primary source of water in the region is groundwater, with no perennial source of
water available. This bill will provide funding to complete the hydrographic survey of the Ani-
mas Valley Underground Water Basin in southwestern New Mexico. The State Engineer was
pg_0002
Senate Bill 1028 -- Page 2
ordered to complete the adjudication of the Animas Valley Underground Water Basin by the
Sixth Judicial Court in 2004.
The State Engineer notes the groundwater of this region flows north and west, providing poten-
tial impact scenarios on the Gila River in the Red Rock and Virden Valley sub-areas. A geo-
thermal anomaly also exists in the basin that is the subject of suits between users and the federal
government. Further, the basin boundaries are in close proximity to the US/Mexico border. De-
velopment in Mexico in the recent past has been substantial.
The cost of both a hydrographic survey and water rights adjudication are likely to be substan-
tially larger than $100 thousand.
PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS
The completion of adjudications in the basin would assist the department in achieving perform-
ance targets relating to the percent of adjudications complete in the state.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
The appropriation of $100 thousand contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general
fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2006 shall
revert to the general fund.
PA/lg