With the Rio Grande Dry, El Paso Turns to Alternatives
Update, May 17, 4 p.m.:
Erasmo Yarrito, Jr., who serves as the "water-master" for the Rio Grande, meaning that he oversees the river from south of El Paso down to the Gulf, said that water levels in two key reservoirs, Falcon Lake and Lake Amistad, were normal for this time of year. "We're sitting very well with our municipal use," he said.
Original story:
The Rio Grande near El Paso has run dry — a situation that hasn't occurred in almost 10 years — removing a key source of water for the city.
"There is currently no water in ...
Comments (1)
Jim Vance
Watermaster spin -- none of the downstream water in either of those reservoirs is pumped back upriver to El Paso which lies outside of the stretch under his jurisdiction and authority. El Paso and southern New Mexico are likely in a world of water hurt for the foreseeable future, and unless there's an El Nino strong enough to replenish the upstream reservoirs and snowpack next winter they're likely to keep on hurting if the entire region experiences the same type of mega-drought as apparently occurred a thousand or so years ago.