Pecos River faces threats
A new investigation from Capital & Main shows that climate change, water demands and oil and gas development are threatening the future of the Pecos River.
The state expects the river's water supply to decline by at least a quarter over the next 50 years. Hannah Riseley-White is the director of the state's Interstate Stream Commission. She said that one factor is decreasing snowpack in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, home to the river's headwaters. Last winter's snowpack was especially concerning.
TAPE: Literally it fell off the cliff. It wasn't just record-breaking; it was beyond anything that we could have imagined in terms of snowpack.It is totally terrifying in a lot of ways.
And the river faces another challenge downstream in the Permian Basin. The investigation found 380 oil and gas wells within half a mile of the Pecos River.
Volunteer defuses tense situation
A Los Alamos thrift store received a very concerning donation recently.
The volunteer at the Casa Mesita Thrift Store discovered a strange item in a donation box. A small package with markings indicating esplosive materials looked official enough to warrant a call to the police department.
After a street closure and the arrival of the bomb squad just after 8am, and x-ray and chemical analysis determined the best possible outcome. The item was just a gag gift, unknowingly placed in the donation box.
No criminal charges were filed. It is always a good reminder to report suspicious packages when you see them.
Feds challenge border wall well lawsuit
A New Mexico lawsuit against the Trump administration faced a setback earlier this month. The federal government announced it will waive New Mexico water code so it can continue drilling wells to support border wall construction.
The state sued the federal government and contractors in late August -- accusing them of drilling without state permits. Customs and Border Protection uses the water produce concrete and control dust. The state asked the court for an injunction and repayment of any water that was illegally used.
The federal government also moved to transfer the case from state court to federal court. A lawyer for the state engineer's office called the waiver unconstitutional. The lawyer said the federal government has already used hundreds of acre-feet of water in the already dry area.
