New Mexico Administrative Code
Title 19 - NATURAL RESOURCES AND WILDLIFE
Chapter 27 - UNDERGROUND WATER
Part 5 - THE USE OF PUBLIC UNDERGROUND WATERS FOR HOUSEHOLD OR OTHER DOMESTIC USE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 72-12-1.1 NMSA
Section 19.27.5.14 - DOMESTIC WELL MANAGEMENT AREA

Universal Citation: 19 NM Admin Code 19.27.5.14

Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 18, September 24, 2024

As hydrologic conditions require, the state engineer may declare all or part of a stream connected aquifer as a domestic well management area to prevent impairment to valid, existing surface water rights. The additional protection of mined aquifers is managed by the state engineer through the declaration of a critical management area and the development of administrative guidelines for the critical management area.

A. Administrative guidelines: The state engineer shall develop administrative guidelines for each declared domestic well management area. The administrative guidelines will be based on the hydrologic conditions of the domestic well management area and the valid, existing water rights located therein. The administrative guidelines shall set forth the maximum diversion amounts and other additional restrictions that will be conditioned on new 72-12-1.1 domestic well permits issued within the management area. Administrative guidelines for a domestic well management area and accompanying maps shall be available at each district office of the state engineer. The administrative guidelines shall also be posted on the office of the state engineer web-site (www.ose.state.nm.us).

B. Declaration of domestic well management area: The state engineer shall hold a public meeting within the geographic area of a proposed domestic well management area before he declares the area and adopts the administrative guidelines. Notice of the public meeting and a copy of the draft administrative guidelines for the domestic well management area shall be posted at the appropriate district office a minimum of 30 days prior to the date of the meeting. Notice of the public meeting and of the draft administrative guidelines will be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the area being declared once a week for three consecutive weeks, with final publication occurring not less than 10 days before the date of the public meeting. Persons who are or may be affected by the proposed declaration of the domestic well management area may appear and comment. Written public comments on the proposed domestic well management area and the administrative guidelines shall be filed with the office of the state engineer on or before the date of the public meeting. The additional restrictions and maximum diversion amounts established for new 72-12-1.1 domestic well permits in the draft administrative guidelines shall be adopted by the state engineer on an interim basis. The interim period shall start on the day the draft administrative guidelines are posted for public inspection and shall end on the day the state engineer adopts the administrative guidelines or otherwise signs an order canceling the interim period. Any changes made to the administrative guidelines during the interim period, including a change in the geographic area of a domestic well management area, shall be applied retroactively to each new 72-12-1.1 domestic well permit issued within the domestic well management area during the interim period.

C. Amount of water: Except as otherwise provided or restricted in Paragraph (2) of Subsection C, and Subsections D and E of this section, the maximum diversion of water from a new 72-12-1.1 domestic well within a domestic well management area shall not exceed 0.25 acre-foot per annum. The state engineer may establish a maximum diversion amount for a new 72-12-1.1 domestic well in a domestic well management area that is less than 0.25 acre-foot per annum.

(1) Single household: The maximum permitted diversion of water from a new 72-12-1.1 domestic well permitted to serve one household shall not exceed 0.25 acre-foot per annum.

(2) Multiple household: The maximum permitted diversion of water from a 72-12-1.1 domestic well permitted to serve more than one household shall not exceed 0.25 acre-foot per annum per household served. The maximum combined diversion from such a 72-12-1.1 domestic well shall not exceed 3.0 acre-feet per annum. For a 72-12-1.1 domestic well serving multiple households, the permit holder shall file documentation with the state engineer listing the number of households being served by the well, the owner's contact information for each household being served, and a description of the legal lot of record for each household being served. A copy of a well share agreement may be filed to support the claim that the 72-12-1.1 domestic well is serving more than one household.

(3) Drinking and sanitary uses that are incidental to the operations of a governmental, commercial, or non-profit facility: The maximum permitted diversion of water from a 72-12-1.1 domestic well permitted for drinking and sanitary uses that are incidental to the operations of a governmental, commercial, or non-profit facility shall not exceed 0.25 acre-foot per annum. The state engineer shall not issue a permit for this use unless the applicant demonstrates that no alternative water supply is reasonably accessible or available. Water may not be used under this type of permit for any commercial use such as the manufacture of a product, car wash, water bottling, concrete batching, or irrigation of crops grown for commercial sale.

D. Transfer of a valid, existing water right to a 72-12-1.1 domestic well permit: The applicant for a new 72-12-1.1 domestic well permit or the holder of an existing 72-12-1.1 domestic well permit may apply to transfer a valid, existing consumptive use water right into the 72-12-1.1 domestic well permit in accordance with Subsection E of 19.27.5.14 NMAC. Only a valid, existing, consumptive use water right located within the domestic well management area may be transferred.

E. Application for permit to transfer a valid, existing water right into a 72-12-1.1 domestic well permit - maximum diversion of water from the 72-12-1.1 domestic well not to exceed one acre-foot per annum: The applicant for or the owner of a 72-12-1.1 domestic well permit may apply to transfer a valid, existing consumptive use water right into the 72-12-1.1 domestic well permit for the purpose of increasing the maximum diversion of underground water up to an amount of water not to exceed one acre-foot per annum. The water right to be transferred shall be from the same hydrologic unit that will be impacted by the diversion of water from the 72-12-1.1 domestic well. The determination of whether a proposed transfer of a water right is occurring within the same hydrologic unit shall be made by the office of the state engineer. For a 72-12-1.1 domestic well permit located within a domestic well management area or other geographic area specifically defined in a state engineer order or administrative guidelines, only a valid, existing consumptive use water right located within the domestic well management area or other specifically defined geographic area may be transferred.

(1) Form - content: Applications shall be prepared on a form prescribed by the state engineer. An application shall include the following information: the name and address of applicant, the pertinent state engineer file number(s), the source of water supply for the move-from point of diversion, the source of water supply for the move-to point of diversion, the priority date of the water right, the diversion amount to be retired, the consumptive use amount to be transferred, the move-from purpose of use, the legal description of the move-from place of use, the location of the move-from point of diversion, the location of move-to point of diversion, and other information the state engineer deems necessary. An application for a change in point of diversion or place or purpose of use of a water right into or out of an acequia or community ditch subject to Sections 73-2-1 through 73-2-68 NMSA or Sections 73-3-1 through 73-3-11 NMSA shall include the documentary evidence of the applicant's compliance with the requirements of Section 72-5-24.1 NMSA.

(2) Well location: The description of the well location shall be made in accordance with Subsection B of 19.27.5.9 NMAC.

(3) Transfer process: Consistent with the issuance of a 72-12-1.1 domestic well permit pursuant to Section 72-12-1.1 NMSA, public notice is not required nor protest allowed for an application for permit to transfer a valid, existing consumptive use water right into a 72-12-1.1 domestic well permit for the purpose of increasing the maximum diversion of underground water up to an amount of water not to exceed one acre-foot per annum. However, with such transfer applications, documentation shall be provided by the applicant, pursuant to Section 72-5-24.1 NMSA. In all other respects, the application for such a transfer shall be processed in a manner consistent with Section 72-12-3 NMSA and no change may be made to the point of diversion, place of use, or purpose of use authorized under such a permit except as provided for in Subsection E of 19.27.5.11 NMAC.

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