Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
The Arch Hurley Conservancy District’s board declined to allocate water during its March 12 meeting despite pleas from a half-dozen farmers and ranchers.
Board members said they were disinclined to divert water to the irrigation system’s canals until levels at Conchas Lake rise substantially higher.
The level’s elevation was 4,171.84 feet on the morning of the meeting, a bit lower than the previous month’s 4,172 feet. Evaporation and other losses during the month of February totaled 1,431 acre-feet, compared to 1,260 acre-feet in inflow.
District manager Franklin McCasland presented a projection of irrigation water delivery based on current lake levels.
McCasland stated in his estimations that 36,865 acre-feet of water would be available for diversion. About 3,000 acre-feet of that would be needed to charge the delivery system.
Couple that with an estimated delivery efficiency of 20%, that would leave just 6,773 acre-feet of water available for farmers and ranchers.
That would translate to slightly less than 2 inches of water per acre. That would mean 29 days of irrigation water delivery, assuming no additional inflow into Conchas Lake.
“At that rate, I would leave it in the lake,” board Chairman Robert Lopez said.
Board member Larry Perkins said he believed the district’s estimated efficiency for water delivery is high, with him thinking more water would be lost to absorption in the canals.
Several farmers disagreed with the board. One said of the water in the lake: “Use it or lose it.”
Another farmer noted the district years ago allocated water when the lake’s level was lower.
“It was a mistake,” board member Debra Mitchell responded.
Lopez said the board still could allocate water during its April meeting if the lake level’s rose, leaving farmers with enough time to prepare for planting season.
Board member John Griffiths agreed, saying the board ought to wait 30 days.
The board in July 2023 allocated 3 inches of water per acre — its first allocation in more than three years due to drought. A huge storm in late May raised Conchas Lake’s level by almost 10 feet in just a few days.