“The older I get, the more I realize how little I know”
The Earth might seem like it has abundant water, but in fact less than 1 percent is available for human use. The rest is either salt water found in oceans, fresh water frozen in the polar ice caps, or too inaccessible for practical usage. While population and demand for freshwater resources are increasing, supply will always remain constant. Although it's true that the water cycle continuously returns water to Earth, it is not always returned to the same place, or in the same quantity and quality. All the fresh water that is here on Earth now is all that we will ever have.
Water plays a big role in supporting our communities. Without water there would be no local business or industry. Fire-fighting, municipal parks, and public swimming pools all need lots of water. An array of pipes, canals, and pumping stations managed by our public water systems are needed to bring a reliable supply of water to our taps each day. In the Village most of us have our individual wells. Where does all this water come from? It starts out as rain or snow and flows into our local lakes, rivers, and streams or into underground aquifers.
In the US, we are lucky to have easy access to some of the safest treated water in the world—just by turning on the tap. We wake up in the morning, take a shower, brush our teeth, grab a cup of coffee, and head out for the day. Water is an important part of our daily lives, and we use it for a wide variety of purposes, but do we really understand how much we use? It’s easy to forget that we also use water in ways we don't see every day. Water is used to grow our food, manufacture our favorite goods, and keep our businesses running smoothly.
New Mexico faces a serious water crisis due to a combination of drought, climate change, and increasing water demand, particularly from agriculture, with 71% of the state under drought conditions as of March 4, 2025. That is why the Village has put emphasis on our water availability, not just for the farmers, but for the communities long term survival. The surface water (irrigation) is important, but the ground water (wells) is what we drink. We need to keep it clean and safe. Hence, the need eventually for a conventional sewer system.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC SCOPING MEETINGS, PROPOSED CORRALES RIVER MILE 199 PROJECT, MIDDLE RIO GRANDE PROJECT, NEW MEXICO
The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) is preparing a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act to assess the potential environmental consequences associated with the proposed Rio Grande channel rehabilitation project to protect riverside infrastructure from erosion along the Rio Grande north of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Reclamation is authorized under the Flood Control Acts of 1948 and 1950 to maintain the Rio Grande channel in the Middle Rio Grande to pass the 2-year return peak flow. In accordance with this authorization, Reclamation has developed the Proposed Action to protect the riverside levee system at three points where river meandering is currently threatening the levee. The Proposed Action has secondary goals of rehabilitating the river planform (i.e., the shape of the river and how it flows) and enhancing aquatic and riparian habitat.
Reclamation will host two public scoping meetings at the Village of Corrales Council/Municipal Court Chambers at 4324 Corrales Road, Corrales, NM 87048. Meetings will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 26 and Thursday, March 27. Meetings will be conducted in an open house format. Meeting attendees will have an opportunity to review exhibits, speak with Reclamation representatives, and provide comments on Reclamation’s proposal. No presentation and no formal question and answer session will be provided.
Please submit your written comments concerning the Proposed Action to the Project Manager, Dr. Jancoba Dorley, 555 Broadway NE, Suite 100, Albuquerque, NM, 87102, to jdorley [at] usbr.gov (jdorley[at]usbr[dot]gov), and/or attend a public scoping meeting. Although comments can be submitted to Reclamation any time during the EA process, scoping comments are requested by 27 April 2025, to ensure full consideration in the draft EA. If you have any questions or would like more information on this project, please reach out to Dr. Dorley at (505) 859-1746. You can view the presentation made to the Village Council on this project here: https://youtu.be/bfizHn0U_g0.
HEALTH AND SAFETY UPDATE
Measles cases in New Mexico have risen to 33. Lea county has 32 and Eddy has one case. If you do not know your vaccination status, reach out to your physician to see if you should get vaccinated or have blood work to check your immunity.
If you are 65 or over it may be time to boost your immunity to COVID. If your last vaccination was at least 6-months ago, you can receive a booster.
To lookup vaccination status for vaccines given in New Mexico, visit the Public Portal: https://vaxview.doh.nm.gov/.
UPCOMING EVENTS
TODAY – Happy Pi day (3.14)
TODAY – Lunch Bunch with Corrales MainStreet at Sandia Bar 12 PM
SATURDAY – CBAC and Corrales Fire will host a Bosque wood removal event from 9 – 11 AM at the east end of Andrews Ln. at the levee.
SATURDAY - Music in Corrales Concert, Maire Ni Chathasaigh & Chris Newman, at the Historic Old San Ysidro Church 7:30 PM. This event is SOLD OUT but tickets may be available at the door. Sign-ups for the waiting list will start at 6:30 PM and tickets at the door will be $30 each.
TUESDAY – Library Board meeting, Corrales Library 6 PM
WEDNESDAY – Story Time at the library 10 AM
THURSDAY – Conversational Spanish at the library 6 PM
THURSDAY – Corrales Compadres gathering for a wine tasting, 4 – 6 PM. Please email Eric Neuwrith at neuwy55 [at] gmail.com (neuwy55[at]gmail[dot]com) to RSVP and for more details. Space is limited but all adult Village residents are welcome.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
3/21 Farmland Preservation and Agricultural Commission meeting, Corrales Library 9 AM
3/22 Spring Planting day for the Storybook Garden, Corrales Library 10 AM
3/22 Kite craft for kids, Corrales library 10 AM
3/22 Artists reception for Natasa Vretenar, Corrales Library 10 AM
3/23 Historical Society Speaker Series “18 Years in the Village” by Dennis Chamerlain, 2 PM at the Historic Old San Ysidro Church. This event is Free but space is limited to 150 people.
3/28 Daffodil Days – pick up your daffodils and gift a donation to the Robert Wertheim Hospice House, 1 – 5 PM at Sandia Bar and the Grower’s Market Lot
If you are looking for the latest information on what’s happening in the Village, please visit the Village website at www.corrales-nm.org and click on the “News” tab or the “Calendar” tab. We work to make sure the website is updated frequently to keep residents informed.
Remember, we are all neighbors in the Village. We share this community, and we have to work together to assure its longevity and success. We are all more alike than different. Be kind, thoughtful, and considerate of your fellow Corraleños. Be courteous, drive the posted speed limit, and yield to equestrians, pedestrians, and bicyclists.
By the way, I have decided to run for another term as Mayor. I will appreciate your support.