• New Mexico Water Conference Proceedings:  The 42nd Annual New Mexico Water Conference Proceedings, Water Issues of Eastern New Mexico, is now at the printers. The proceedings contains seventeen papers presented last October in Tucumcari including discussions of the history and hydrology of the Eastern Plains, and how the water resources of the area have been managed over the years. Seven technical papers are included in response to last fall’s Call for Papers. These include presentations on the Taylor Well Field in Las Vegas, La Luz Well Field in Alamogordo, groundwater relationships along the New Mexico-Texas stateline, water rights considerations for conjunctive use of surface and groundwater, a new technology for denitrification of groundwater, an Anasazi water-conservation gardening technique using cobble mulch, and cloud seeding for rain enhancement. In addition, comments made by participants of three panels (policy makers discussing local growth and water issues, regional water planning, and agricultural conservation) are included. Copies of the proceedings will be available for $15.75. Send requests to  Cynthia Rex with checks made payable to NMWRRI, MSC 3167, Box 30001, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003. Conference participants will receive their free copies of the proceedings as soon as they are available. This year the proceedings will also be made available online on the NMWRRI homepage.

• New Mexico First Report on Water and Land Resource Management:  Participants in the 19th New Mexico First Town Hall meeting gathered in Albuquerque on June 26-29th to consider how New Mexico’s public and private leadership should manage our land and water resources for the best use, now and during the next two decades. The New Mexico WRRI prepared the 80-page background document on the state’s water and land resources for the Town Hall meeting. The document provided participants with the essential factual background on topics such as New Mexico water rights law, surface and groundwater hydrology, and related land issues, in an easy to understand format. The final report produced by New Mexico First includes detailed recommendations made at the Town Hall meeting. Copies of the report are available for $15 from New Mexico First, toll free 1-800-663-0001 or in Albuquerque 505-242-3205 or by email: townhall@nmfirst.org.

• Mark your calendars:  43rd New Mexico Annual Water Conference, Las Cruces, October 22-23, 1998, Water Challenges on the Lower Rio Grande.