Purpose and Responsibilities
Platoro Reservoir
Platoro Reservoir was constructed in 1951 by the United States Bureau of Reclamation. The District's job is to oversee the operation of the reservoir and ensure water rights holders and water users in the district can put water to beneficial and maximum use while still upholding obligations to the Rio Grande Compact.
Direct Flow
Water leaving Platoro Reservoir is water usable by water rights holders and water we have obligations to send to New Mexico and Texas to honor the 1938 Rio Grande Compact. We work with ditch companies to ensure shareholders can put their water to maximum and beneficial use through irrigation and storage.
Augmentation
The district helps with augmentation plans. Augmentation plans allow out of priority water rights holders to put water to beneficial use, so long as a replacement supply of water is provided to prevent injury to other water rights holders. This allows for new residential or commercial wells to be constructed. We help people calculate consumptive use and put together augmentation plans to be able to responsibly oversee water use and growth within the district.
Building New Projects and Infrastructure
The District works to obtain funding through grants and other means in order to develop more up-to-date water infrastructure for the district. This money is applied to smaller projects such as automated head gates, as well as more large-scale projects such as pipelines for water transfer. These projects are intended to help the district manage water more efficiently, care for river and wildlife health, and improve and provide recreational opportunities on the water.