Water Belongs to All of Us
Working Together to Secure Its Future
Aug / 2025
In our unique desert climate, where record droughts, rising temperatures, and less snow each year threatens our water future, the path forward depends on how we find ways to work together to plan, conserve, and thrive together.
Through the Water Security Planning Act (WSPA), the state has initiated a new era of water planning, grounded in local leadership, scientific rigor, and inclusive public engagement.
Listening First.
The New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission (NMISC), guided by WSPA, began by focusing on public engagement and feedback. From April through August 2024 more than 2,300 New Mexicans took part in 16 open houses held across the state, including an online option to be sure access was available to everyone in the state.
NMISC partnered with the New Mexico Indian Affairs Department to form the Water Security Tribal Advisory Council (WSTAC), which was formalized in late 2024. WSTAC has been actively contributing to the planning process and ensuring that all of New Mexico’s Pueblos, Tribes, and Nations are represented in every phase of the process.
More than 25,000 feedback points, combined with the recommendations from WSTAC, informed NMISC’s first iteration of the Discussion Draft Rule and Guidelines. From January through April 2025 New Mexicans engaged in another chance to provide feedback before the formal rulemaking process began. NMISC incorporated over 100 comments on the discussion draft, arriving at the proposed rule that now reflects the many stages of public engagement.
What is Rulemaking and how do New Mexicans stay involved?
Rulemaking is the formal process that state agencies use to create or update administrative rules under laws passed by the state legislature. While this is a common practice for regulatory state agencies, Water Security Planning Act rulemaking is NMISC’s first major rulemaking process since the early 2000s. Rulemaking began on July 17, 2025, when the proposed rule was presented to the ISC Commission, who in turn initiated the process. Everything that happened previous to this date was all pre-rulemaking, ensuring that New Mexicans across the state were engaged early and given plenty of time to become familiar with WSPA and the proposed rule.
Per state law, rulemaking requires a minimum 30-day comment period. NMISC has extended this period to 60 days, making sure New Mexicans continue to have every opportunity to provide input. It will be published in the New Mexico Register on August 26, 2025.
“It’s been really great to have a more deliberative process,” said NMISC Senior Water Planner Sara Fox. “The proposed rule is a lot stronger with everyone’s input.”
The formal public comment period runs through September 27, 2025. To view the Proposed Rule, submit a comment, or access the full docket of materials, visit: https://www.ose.nm.gov/RulesRegs/rulemaking.php.
What happens at the public hearing?
Once the comment period closes on September 27th, the next milestone is the public hearing, scheduled to begin on October 15, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. in Santa Fe, and to run through October 17.
During the hearing, the NMISC Planning Program will present testimony reviewing the full history of New Mexico’s water planning, dating back to the first statute in 1987 and its evolution through the WSPA A public hearing officer will guide the proceedings, and the nine governor-appointed commissioners will have the opportunity to ask questions and deliberate to either adopt, amend, or reject the proposed rule. .
The hearing will be open to the public in person and online, with opportunities for public comment.
“We are committed to having a hybrid hearing with full capabilities so that virtual attendees can participate the same as in-person attendees,” said Sara Fox. “The rule will impact all residents throughout the state, and we want everyone to have the opportunity to participate.”
What are the next steps?
Once the rule is finalized, NMISC will begin forming regional water security planning councils across New Mexico’s newly defined planning regions. These regional councils will include water professionals and water stakeholders who reside in the region. These representatives will lead the next phase of local planning, supported by NMISC through templates, training, and region-specific resources. Each council will have the flexibility to shape its own approach, with the rule emphasizing outcomes to allow for innovation and accountability tailored to community needs.
After the rule is finalized, you will have the chance to sign up to participate as a regional stakeholder, a term defined in the proposed rule as someone who is interested in their regions planning process, but is not necessarily on the council. Once your region’s council is formed, you can share your email and a short statement explaining your interest and connection to the region. Even those outside a region can sign up by sharing why their perspective matters. Subscribe to our newsletter to join the stream. Subscribers will receive updates, news, and opportunities to get involved.