SANTA FE – The Office of the State Engineer and Interstate Stream Commission are calling on lawmakers to approve their $114 million budget request to fund operations and special appropriations for Fiscal Year 2026.

This funding will support the agency's efforts to implement Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's 50-Year Water Action Plan and efficiently manage New Mexico's water resources, proactively responding to predictions that New Mexico's water supplies are expected to decrease by 25 percent as a result of climate change over the next 50 years.

"This budget request is centered on the agency's mission to ensure that future generations of New Mexicans have a secure water supply, resilient watersheds, and thriving local economies," said State Engineer Designate Elizabeth Anderson.

Key initiatives in the budget proposal to support implementation of the 50-Year Water Action Plan and modernizing water management:

$40.5 million to implement Indian Water Rights settlements
$8 million to assist with interstate water management efforts
$6 million to improve water administration and measurement systems
$5 million on an annual basis to recruit and retain essential technical staff

These additional resources enable the OSE/ISC to face challenges in recruiting and retaining essential technical staff, implementing the 50-Year Water Action Plan, modernizing water management systems, and resolving Indian Water Rights claims through implementation of settlement agreements. For example, additional staff are needed to implement four new water rights settlements that New Mexico has entered into with seven Pueblos and Tribes during the Lujan Grisham administration. These settlements require significant state funding to leverage approximately $3 billion in federal funding.

This budget is an opportunity to protect New Mexico's precious water resources for future generations. Lawmakers have the opportunity to provide water managers with the tools they need to support New Mexico's communities as they prepare for and respond to climate change impacts on our water supply.

"In New Mexico, we have always understood that 'Water is Life'. Our water resources impact our lives in countless ways," Anderson said. "We urge the legislature to approve this budget request and support these critical water initiatives."