Doing Business with OSE/ISC
INTRODUCTION
The Tularosa Basin was declared by State Engineer Special Order No. 131 on July 7, 1982 and encompasses an area of approxi mately 6,070 square miles (Figure 1). Due to the size of the basin and the geologic diversity of the region, criteria for water rights administration should be developed for specified sub-areas within the basin. This process will enable criteria to meet the specific conditions for unique areas. As of this date,the majority of pending well applications are located in the region near Alamogordo and Tularosa, within Townships 13 thru 18 South and Ranges 8 thru 10 East (Figure 1). The purpose of this document is to provide criteria for processing water rights applications for this sub- area.
Criteria for water rights administration for the Alamogordo- Tularosa administrative area will be used in decision making on pending and future applications (new appropriations, applications for supplemental wells, and applications to change point of diversion,or place or purpose of use). Applications for wells outside of this sub-area will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Criteria for these other areas will be developed as deemed necessary.
The state engineer has adopted the administrative criteria below in order to assure orderly development of groundwater resources within the Tularosa basin,while meeting statutory obligations regarding non-impairment to existing water rights, availability of unappropriated water, conservation of water within the state and public welfare of the state. This policy development process begins with the formulation of administrative objectives or water resource goals to be achieved. This is followed by the selection of administrative standards which quantify allowable levels of water level declines and water quality degradation. Criteria outlining the evaluation procedure are presented in the final section.
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