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BernCo News Bulletin - May 2021 |
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While all of Bernalillo County is experiencing at least Severe Drought conditions, the East Mountain Area has been hit the hardest and is currently under Exceptional Drought conditions.
Aquifer levels in the East Mountains have been declining for years. Overall aquifer levels are dropping approximately 2 feet per year on average for the East Mountains. They are dropping 6 to 8 feet per year in some areas, and the drought has dramatically increased the stress upon those aquifers.
Impacts to plants and wildlife are also evident. The Piñon-Juniper biozone (Upper Sonoran), is especially vulnerable to the ongoing arid conditions. The dry conditions put additional stress on piñon pines. This added stress makes the pines particularly susceptible to beetle infestations, which thrive in warmer, drier years.
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Bernalillo County hosts a Water Conservation Program with several free, or subsidized, water saving incentives such as smart water monitors and irrigation controllers, high-efficiency toilet retrofits, high-efficiency washing machines, rain barrels, and laundry-to-landscape gray water kits. For more information on taking advantage of these opportunities, please go to www.bernco.gov/water or reach out to the Water Conservation Program at waterconservation@bernco.gov or (505) 224-2158.
Domestic Well Program for Aquifer Monitoring
If you own a domestic well and you are concerned about dwindling groundwater supply in your area, you may volunteer for the County sponsored Well Monitoring Program. The Program is a service and science-based program whose purpose is to keep residents informed about the sustainability of their well and to provide valuable information on the state and health of our groundwater resources.
In short, the program is a voluntary program where domestic wells are visited typically three times per year to obtain water level readings. After every reading, updated reports are sent to each participant so that they can track the water level in their well over time.
The one drawback volunteers face is that well owners are asked to limit water usage on the day of a visit so that the water level reading is close to static/equilibrium. At least one day advance notice is always given before a visit.
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Contact Us
If you are concerned about the sustainability of our aquifers, have questions, or want more detailed information please reach out to the County Hydrogeologist, Phillip Rust.
prust@bernco.gov
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