Southern Farmers Say NO to a Water "Loan"

Elephant Butte Dam

Santa Fe New Mexican - ALBUQUERQUE — Fears of having the shortest irrigation season on record are coming true for thousands of farmers who depend on the lower Rio Grande to water their crops as a persistent drought refuses to release New Mexico from its grip. The New Mexico Compact Commission had offered to loan water to the Elephant Butte Irrigation District to extend the irrigation season, but the district's board of directors recently declined the offer. District Manager Gary Esslinger said Wednesday that the district appreciated the state's efforts to find "a creative solution," but the deal wouldn't be in the best interest of family farmers throughout the valley. "We don't want to obligate our constituents to a future water debt especially in these uncertain times," Esslinger said. The loan program would have allowed farmers to borrow from New Mexico's accrued water credits in order to have another few weeks of water, but they would have had to pay back the water at the beginning of next year. Read full story here: News New Mexico

Southern Farmers Say NO to a Water "Loan"