Not much irrigation water from the Rio Grande River in 2022
4/26/2022 12:00:00 AM
CATEGORIES:
Agriculture
Relief, Response & Restrictions
Water Supply & Quality
AFFECTED AREAS:
Dona Ana County, NM
Sierra County, NM
El Paso County, TX
Start Date: 4/6/2022
- End Date: 12/31/2022
The water allocation for the Elephant Butte Irrigation District in New Mexico is just 5 inches per acre—far less than the full allocation of 36 inches. The water will be released on June 1. The Elephant Butte Reservoir was at 12.6% of capacity on April 24.
El Paso Times (Texas), April 25, 2022
The Elephant Butte reservoir held just 12% of capacity as the growing season neared, so local irrigation managers expect a short, small season to begin in June. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation will announce the allocation later in April.
El Paso farmers are projected to get just 18 inches of water per acre instead of the full 48 inches, according to the manager for the El Paso County Water Improvement District No. 1. The irrigation water arriving in June will mean a lot of fallowed land.
Farmers with the Elephant Butte Irrigation District will have it worse with just three or four inches per acre total, which would allow farmers to irrigate for about one month.
El Paso Matters (Texas), April 6, 2022
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