Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Despite increases to Conchas Lake’s levels in the last two months, the Arch Hurley Conservancy District during its regular meeting last week again voted to not allocate water.
The district is ending its second straight growing season without diverting lake water into its irrigation canals because of drought.
District manager Franklin McCasland reported the lake received 15,309 acre-feet of water in August with just 2,181 acre-feet of evaporation and other losses. He said Conchas Lake’s elevation rose 3.68 feet during the month.
Despite that, the lake’s elevation stood at 4,163.1 feet the morning of the Sept. 13 meeting — well short of the approximate 4,174 feet needed for district officials to be comfortable in discharging water.
The board, with little discussion, approved a motion to not allocate water at this time.
Despite recent rains, the U.S. Drought Monitor map lists much of eastern New Mexico in extreme or severe drought conditions.
In other business, the board authorized McCasland to approve a memorandum of understanding with Bear Peak Power to build a concrete bridge over one of the district’s concrete-lined canals.
Bear Peak Power is building a 5,000-kilowatt solar array northeast of Tucumcari and needs access over the canal.
The meeting was the last for longtime district secretary-treasurer U.V. Henson, who is stepping down due to health reasons and he and his wife moving to Amarillo.
He had served on the board for 25 years. Board members thanked him for his time and service.
Henson said he enjoyed his tenure on the board but added: “it was a lot more fun when we had water.”