Office of the State Engineer District IV-Las Cruces

Water is New Mexico's most precious resource, especially during times of drought. Under New Mexico water law, all ground and surface waters belong to the public and are subject to appropriation under the Doctrine of Prior Appropriation, a constitutional provision that says earlier appropriations have priority over later appropriations. The State Engineer has authority over the supervision, measurement, appropriation, and distribution of all surface and groundwater in New Mexico, including streams and rivers that cross state boundaries. The State Engineer is also Secretary of the Interstate Stream Commission. Programs in the Office of the State Engineer include: Water Resource Allocation Program (WRAP), Water Use and Conservation, Dam Safety, Water Rights Abstracting Bureau (WRAB), Hydrology, Geographic Information System (GIS), Water Well Driller Licensing, Litigation and Adjudication Program (LAP), and Program Support. The Office of the State Engineer is responsible for processing water rights applications, conducting the scientific research for making those water rights decisions, maintaining water rights records, and enforcing any conditions or restrictions on water use. The office in Las Cruces is responsible for administering surface and groundwater rights in the District IV basins including: Lower Rio Grande, Hot Springs, Las Animas, Tularosa, Hueco and Salt Basin.

Website

https://www.ose.nm.gov/

External link for Office of the State Engineer District IV-Las Cruces

Industry

Government Administration

Company size

11-50 employees

Headquarters

Las Cruces, New Mexico

Type

Government Agency

Founded

1907

Specialties

Water Resource Administration and New Mexico Water Rights