NM Brackish Water Rush Continues

The rush to get in permit applications for brackish water drilling in New Mexico continues, as the state legislature considers a bill that would give the state regulatory authority. Staci Matlock reports in today’s New Mexican on more applications: Private interests are rushing to tap lightly regulated supplies of briny water deep under New Mexico …

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Water In the Desert: Surrealism Edition

Around the corner from my house, something truly strange is under construction. It looks kinda like the Alamo, albeit with tilt-up concrete sides and weird tubes coming out the sides. It’s our new “water park,” which has been haltingly under construction for ages. It’s part of a hotel up the street from my house, an …

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Stuff I Wrote Elsewhere: Water in the Desert Edition

Drier Climate on the Way for Southwest (ad gated): Climate change is increasing the chances of severe and persistent drought in the Southwest, according to a new report from a panel of federal scientists. “It’s going to get drier,” said Richard Seager, a climate researcher at Columbia University in New York. That means diminished water …

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The Energy Costs of Desalination

From my colleague Sean Olson, in today’s Albuquerque Journal (ad gated): While desalinating water could become a valuable tool to support a growing New Mexico, residents will have to be ready to bite the bullet when it comes to the huge energy cost associated with the technique. Experts say that cost comes in two forms: …

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Stuff I Wrote Elsewhere: Water in the Desert Edition

On the lessons from Chaco (ad gated): New Mexico has always been a dry place, at least on the time scales that matter for the ancient civilizations Henderson and Robbins were trying to understand. Our history could be written as a story of people forever searching for a stable water supply to support the cities …

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