… This year, New Mexicans are confronting record-low snowpack, which is essential for supplying an even flow of water into acequia systems. Record heat isn’t helping, as it accelerates evaporation throughout New Mexico waterways and has contributed to an early melt off of the already thin snowpack. … New Mexico’s acequias date back to the late 16th century, when the Spanish colonized the region. By 1700, what would become New Mexico had around 60 of these community-managed irrigation ditches. Today, there are more than 700 active acequias in the state, many of them concentrated in Northern New Mexico.

Other snow drought impact news:

• The Colorado Sun (Denver): Denver Water draining, closing Antero Reservoir for drought savings
• Aspen Times (Colo.): Roaring Fork watershed’s low snowpack runoff will change fishing, rafting this summer
• KOAA (Colorado Springs, Colo.): With record low snowpack, what can we expect for riverflow levels?
• Farms.com: Low snowpack shrinks water supply across Western states
• The Business Journal (Fresno, Calif.): Opinion: Paradox of plenty — why California can be wet and still short on water