1. Border 2012 New Mexico-Chihuahua Rural Task Force Frontera 2012 Equipo de Trabajo Rural Nuevo México- Chihuahua Water Subcommittee Steering Committee Comité Consultivo del Subcomité del Agua September 20, 2007 20 de Septiembre2007 Summary

2. Northwest Chihuahua Basin Map Figure 3-17. Northwest Chihuahua Basin Map. Status Report on the Water-Wastewater Infrastructure Program for the U.S.- Mexico Borderlands, www.epa.gov/owm/mab/mexican/usmexrpt/chapter3.pdf

3. Overview Bringing a concept into actuality   Process   Program   Results Please note: Any errors in reporting are mine

4. Process   Steering Committee oversight   5 Community Coordinators – – selected topics – – selected activities   All communities participated and assisted   EPA and SEMARNAT helped with arrangements, invitations and logistics

5. Program Welcome and explanation of Tour

6. Discussion of water challenges for Deming, Luna County, Lordsburg & Hidalgo County Welcome - Councilor Milo for Mayor Silva: "Deming is poised to grow & will need water“ Findings and recommenda- tions from the SWNM Regional Water Plan - Tom Bates Current status of drip irrigation in Luna County - Elmer Veeder, USDA Water Concerns Round Table - Louis Jenkins, Rick Holdridge and Tom Bates, with questions and answers

7. Water Concerns   30,000 acre foot gap between supply and demand   mining of the aquifer   lack of sufficient above ground storage   water quality (arsenic), and   the impact of water transfers from agriculture

8. Tour - agricultural water conservation Holdridge Farm Agriculture is the major water user in Luna County. Closing the gap between supply and demand means reducing water usage, such as with drip irrigation. Potential funds could come from the Gila Settlement, a part of the Arizona Water Settlements Act

9. Lunch at Pancho Villa State Park Mayor of Columbus and Park Deputy Director greeted us Park is reducing use by drip irrigation and rainwater harvesting

10. Tour to Guadalupe Victoria

11. Water Concerns Conflict between agencies Secretary of Agriculture encourages aquifer recharge Municipio obtained funds to construct a dam to capture water National Water Commission stopped project as unsafe What can community do? Cases Grandes River Need Technical Assistance

12. Discussion of water challenges in Ascensión

13. Welcome – Dr. Carlos Rincon, EPA, & Carlos Acevedo, BECC Presentation by the Ascensión Water Department - Ing. Martín Blancas, Director de Agua Potable en Ascensión Management of potable water and wastewater by the State Government through Existing Regional Structures - Ing. Raul Palacios Perches, JMAS Presentation about investments for irrigation equipment - Ing. Federico Jaquez Dominguez, Jefe del Distrito 01 de SAGARPA

14. Water Concerns Exploitation of aquifer "For the users of the water in Ascensión and Janos, the immediate future is chilly: If the ground water extraction continues to the present rate, the reserve will be exhausted without remedy within 10 years, around 2017, according to a recent technical diagnostic study presented by the Mexican Technological Water Institute (IMTA)." En 10 años se agotará la reserva del líquido; estudio/El Diario, Froylan Meza, Viernes, 16 de Febrero de 2007, www.eldiariodechihuahua.com/notas.php?IDNOTA=54873&IDSECCION=Portada&I DREPORTERO=Froylan%20Meza Lack of technical assistance and know-how

15. Morning Sing

16. Discussion of water challenges for Janos *on the Bus*

17. Tour to Janos Grasslands Emphasizing the importance of the Janos grasslands to the ecosystemic and economic health of the region

18. Water Concerns Increasing use of groundwater Disappearance of Prairie Dogs

19. 1 st Festival de Agua en Janos

20. March 22 = World Water Day 2007’s theme = “coping with water scarcity”

21. Festival de Agua in Palomas

23. Discussion of water challenges in Palomas

24. Water Concerns Has sucessfully utilized BECC funding for water and sewer improvements. Began meter reading this year, which caused residents to complain In response, Palomas is starting a water conservation program but lacks materials

25. Discussion of water challenges for Columbus

26. Water Concerns   To address fluoride and arsenic levels, are constructing a reverse osmosis system to serve Village   To cover increased costs, rates were tripled   Binational flooding resulted in an illegal berm and a redesign around the Port of Entry   Lack of information about water usage in Palomas makes future planning difficult

27. Next Steps Summary of the two day trip. Next Steps include: o o Review of Summary Report by communities o o Send Summary Report to agencies, asking how they might address the concerns and needs of the communities. o o Report those responses back to the communities.

28. Participants Participants on the Tour included representatives from the International Boundary and Water Commission, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Border Environment Cooperation Commission, New Mexico Environment Department, New Mexico State Engineer’s Office, the offices of New Mexico Sens. Pete Domenici and Jeff Bingaman, New Mexico State University, Elephant Butte Irrigation District, Luna County, Deming, Columbus, Palomas, Ascension, Janos, los Comités Técnicos de Aguas Subterráneas, Procuraduría Federal de Protección al Ambiente, Junta Rural de Aguas de Puerto Palomas, Secretaría de Desarrollo Urbano y Ecología, Semarnat, a la representación regional en el Congreso Local, Junta de Aguas de Nuevo Casas Grandes, Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez, non-governmental organizations and private citizens.

29. Contact Information Border 2012 NM-Chih Rural Task Force Celso Jaquez, Mexican Co-Leader (636) 111-8807 cesdejanos@yahoo.com Allyson Siwik, U.S. Co-Leader (505) 388-4350 asiwik@zianet.com Elaine Hebard, Project Facilitator Water Subcommittee (505) 247-8767 ehebard@yahoo.com An audio recording of the Tour can be found at www.border.state.nm.us/