Today in southern New Mexico, the Rio Grande typically only flows when its channel is used to convey water from Elephant Butte and Caballo reservoirs to cities and farmers downstream. In conversation with Laura Paskus, Esperanza Chairez Uriarte, communications coordinator with Nuestra Tierra, talks about what that means for communities along the river – and how to envision a better future for that stretch of the Rio Grande.
To watch a companion episode of Our Land about the lack of water rights for New Mexico’s rivers, visit: https://youtu.be/psLhcCgNqgw
And to watch the 2020 episode with Nuestra Tierra’s executive director, Ángel Peña, that’s mentioned in this interview: https://youtu.be/oCHD2JRaeR4
You can also visit the NMPBS Video App: https://portal.knme.org/show/our-land-new-mexicos-environmental-past-present-and-future/
Or, subscribe to Our Land Weekly: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/woyxJ21/ourland
