New Mexico's drought situation, solutions to the problem and consequences for the state were the topics of a panel discussion featuring several local experts in the field Tuesday night.
"What drought and climate change to New Mexico," the first in a four-part lecture series titled "Water Issues for the 21st Century," is intended to educate the UNM community about the state's growing water concerns, said Marilyn O'Leary, director of the Utton Transboundary Resources Center, one of the event's co-sponsors.
"Drought is one of the most pressure problems facing New Mexico right now," O'Leary said. "I hope people get a better understanding through these lectures of what the drought picture is in New Mexico, and how they can help in dealing with it."
Despite the last 20 years of higher precipitation, New Mexico is facing a dilemma that can cause serious economic problems in the future, said Anne Walkins, New Mexico Drought Task Force director and another of the seminar's three speakers.
"We can't predict when (a drought) will happen, how severe it will be, or how long it will last," Walkins said. "In the past, we have dealt with it as a crisis, but we now realize we don't have the resources to deal with it."
Walkins said the most high-risk areas in the state need to be identified to take necessary precautions.
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"We need to put together a plan on how to use our resources coming in," Walkins said.
She said New Mexico's naturally dry climate and the large amounts of water that are wasted every day throughout the state are just some of the reasons the drought conditions have become such a crisis.
"Unfortunately, many people tend to forget what it means to live in the desert," Walkins said. "An alarmingly high percentage of New Mexico's water problems can be directly attributed to the inconsiderate actions of residents who act like it is a renewable resource.
We're going to look at preventative measures so we can deal with emergencies."
David Gutzler, a climatologist from UNM's Earth and Planetary Sciences department, said recent innovations in technology developed at the University will allow phenomena such as El Ni§o to be observed and researched months before its devastating effects are felt.
"The climate change in recent years in New Mexico is a large factor in the current drought situation, largely due to El Nino's volatility," Gutzler said. "Now we can see El Ni§o coming months in advance so we can prepare. This technology will play a pivotal role in curbing New Mexico's water crisis and help us ensure that water is just one of the luxuries that future generations have to enjoy."
