Study looks into future of water in New Mexico

MEXICO S NEXT CENTURY IN A NEW STUDY BY EXPERTS FROM THE STATE S TWO LARGEST UNIVERSITIES STUART DYSON IS LIVE IN CHOPPER 4 OVER THE RIO GRANDE WORST-CASE SCENARIO - THE RIO GRANDE LOSES ALMOST A THIRD OF ITS WATER FLOW BY THE YEAR 2080 BEST CASE - AN EIGHT PER CENT DROP - EITHER WAY THE GREEN ZONES IN OUR DESERT STATE SHRINK - AND SOME MAY DISAPPEAR OUT Q THE STUDY USES DATA FROM INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH ON CLIMATE CHANGE - THAT MEANS GLOBAL WARMING - TO CONCLUDE THAT EVEN IF IT RAINS MORE IT LL SNOW LESS AND THE RIVERS WILL SHRINK FROM EVAPORATION THAT MEANS LESS WATER FOR IRRIGATION - MORE PRESSURE ON FARMERS TO SELL WATER RIGHTS TO GROWING CITIES - FEWER GREEN FIELDS - LESS HABITAT FOR WILDLIFE - A HUGE HIT ON THE ECONOMIES OF AGRICULTURE AND RECREATION We don t necessarily have to have a dismal and tragic outlook - we are gonna be faced with some challenges Water conservation is important - we don t have an unlimited supply of water - we ve got to conserve - we ve got to look at new technologies such as desalination and re-use as well Because if we wait and we don t do anything in advance - then we are gonna find that scarcity hits us a lot harder RIGHT NOW AGRICULTURE SOAKS UP ABOUT 85 PER CENT OF NEW MEXICO S WATER - BUT PLAYS A RELATIVELY SMALL ROLE IN THE STATE S ECONOMY - RESEARCHERS SAY THE FARMERS OF THE FUTURE WILL FIND IT MORE PROFITABLE TO SELL OR LEASE THEIR WATER RIGHTS TO THE STATE S EVER-GROWING ALWAYS-THIRSTY CITIES IT S THE FIRST STUDY OF ITS KIND TO FOCUS ON THE RIO GRANDE - OTHER RESEARCH HAS BEEN DONE ON THE COLORADO RIVER AND THE MISSOURI ABOVE THE RIO GRANDE SD EWN4 BERNALILLO COUNTY OFFICIALS SAY THEY HAVE NO