POSTED: Wednesday, July 13, 2011 - 5:07pm
UPDATED: Wednesday, July 13, 2011 - 10:32pm
EL PASO - Despite the little bit of rain we have gotten, the Public Service Board for the water utility says farmers will have a tough season next year.
The drought over the last year or so has caused the Rio Grande levels to drop and the river is one of the main sources of water for farmers. So is the Elephant Butte Dam, which also below-average levels.
Residents should be okay, because water reclamation efforts have left the ground water supply healthy. Still, the water utility president and CEO Ed Archuleta says farmers may have a shorter season next year.
"We only use about ten percent of all the water that's released from Elephant Butte Dam so when there's a huge impact it's going to be a lot more so on the farming community," Archuleta said.
If you're concerned about our water supply, or if you want to get involved in conservation efforts, the utility has an annual strategic planning meeting, which is open to the public. The utility has not yet set a date and time for that meeting, but when they do, we will let you know.