|
Lake Superior has once again been found here in the
desert
--
our water worries are over! Or are they?
A
forum on the promises and perils of desalination of saline or brackish
waters
for
producing drinking water.
Recently, new water supplies were declared to have been
found in the Rio Puerco.
Deep, very mineralized water is now
touted as the way to supply future growth. In the 1970s, the aquifer under
Albuquerque was declared to be another Lake Superior. Twenty years later, we
discovered that the geology was much more complex and the water was not
as plentiful as hoped.
Ground-water levels have declined significantly. The search is on for additional
water.
What are the pros and cons of relying on brackish water
for our future? The Middle
Rio Grande Water Assembly and UNM's Water Resources Program are
sponsoring this public forum to discuss the issues surrounding
desalination and deep wells.
The agenda includes perspectives by advocates for the
development and use of such waters and by proponents presenting the
limitations and risks.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
1:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
University of New Mexico
Continuing Education Center
Co-Sponsors
- Middle Rio Grande Water Assembly
- UNM Water Resources Program
AGENDA
9:00 Welcome
- Kevin
Bean, Chair of the MRG Water Assembly
- Bruce
Thomson, Director of UNM Water Resources Program (link
to presentation)
9:10
Setting the Stage
9:20
What Is Desalinated Water?
9:50 What Is Being
Proposed? A Focus on Sandoval County's Project
10:15
Why Desalinated Water Matters?
- Sanford
Gaines, Director of the Utton
Transboundary Resources Center at UNM School of Law (link
to presentation)
10:30
Break
10:45
In-depth Perspectives Panel
Regulatory and Legal Issues
- John
D'Antonio, New Mexico State Engineer
- Amy
Haas, Counsel for Interstate Stream Commission (link to presentation)
- Bart
Faris, Environmental Scientist, Ground
Water Quality Bureau, NM Environment Department
- Dan
McGregor, Hydrogeologist, Bernalillo County Public Works Division
- Water Resources
Business Viewpoints
Economic Considerations
Environmental Impacts
Ethical Issues to be Considered
- Peter
Pino, Tribal Administrator for Zia
Pueblo
12:15
What Policies Might Be Needed?
- Panel
Question & Answer
- Facilitated
Discussion
|
