In the late 1980's and early 1990's residents
of the Estancia Basin became increasingly concerned
about declining water levels, and their perception that water quality was
deteriorating in the
Basin. In late 1993 Torrance County established the Estancia Basin Water
Planning Committee
composed of citizens representing major stakeholders in the Basin to address
water resource
related concerns In mid-1995 the Committee was formally established as
a tri-county entity
(Torrance, Bernalillo and Santa Fe) to address water resource related issues
through an integrated
Basin-wide approach.
In 1995, 1996 and 1998 the Committee held a series of public meetings throughout the Basin to gather public input about water related concerns and possible recommended solutions, and to obtain public input on the Phase I Report (past and present water resource related data and future growth, population and use projections). Several concerns, comments and suggestions were offered.
Given the concerns and recommendations of Basin residents,
the Committee compiled and reviewed known data on water resources in
the Basin and developed future economic, population and water use projections
(Phase I Report); evaluated and summarized the data; developed conclusions,
goals and alternatives; applied the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission
Criteria from the NMISSC Regional Planners Handbook and Template to analyze
five basic scenarios; developed the Water Plan; presented the Water Plan
for public scrutiny and comment; finalized the Water Plan and presented
it to the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission