Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Conchas Lake experienced a minimal rise in water levels in the past month, reported the manager of the Arch Hurley Conservancy District.
Manager Franklin McCasland informed the district’s board of directors during its Nov. 8 meeting the lake received 2,057 acre-feet of inflow in October, with 1,355 acre-feet in evaporation and other losses.
The morning of the meeting, Conchas Lake’s water elevation stood at 4,163.3 feet, which was 0.1 feet higher than the previous month. A year ago, the elevation was 4,162.3 feet.
The district recently completed its second straight growing season without allocating water to area farmers due to persistent drought. The district typically diverts water to its irrigation canals only when the lake’s level is above 4,174 feet.
The U.S. Drought Monitor map as of Nov. 10 showed eastern New Mexico in extreme, severe or moderate drought conditions. More than 80% of the state was in some state of drought.
In other business:
n In his manager’s report, McCasland said he secured a one-year propane contract with Pinnacle for $2.08 a gallon. “Everyone else was around $3,” he said.
n McCasland said he submitted a request for a total of $150,000 in capital outlay funds from the New Mexico Legislature for its upcoming 2023 session. He allocated $100,000 of that request for canal maintenance equipment and $50,000 for chemical control of invasive vegetation. McCasland said he’s received no indication how much lawmakers will allocate during the session.
n The board received letters of interest from Jason Box and Slik Knapp to fill a vacancy for municipal board member. The board voted to interview those candidates in a closed executive session after its next regular board meeting in December.
Longtime secretary-treasurer U.V. Henson resigned in September. The person who replaces him would serve until the next election in late 2023.
n In routine matters, the board approved a resolution about the notice of public meetings in 2023. The board will continue to meet the second Tuesday of each month. Also, the board approved an interim 2023 budget that contained no changes from the initial budget approved earlier in the year.