The groundwater law in New Mexico states that only well drillers licensed by the State may drill or alter wells with a diameter larger than 2 3/8 inches within the boundaries of declared underground water basins. On July 2008, District Judge J.C. Robinson in Grant County ruled the state’s domestic well statute unconstitutional. Farmer Horace Bounds, Jr., and his wife, Jo, claim that 45 domestic wells drilled near their farm in recent years are drying up near the Upper Mimbres River and impairing their senior 1869 water rights. As you can see, there is a lot to think about when choosing among the 200+ New Mexico well drillers available in this area. Incidents like the ones above could be prevented if the wells were drilled correctly and in the proper locations.
New Mexico well drillers do not require a permit to drill a well and appropriate water in areas outside of the declared “underground water basins”. There are currently 33 declared underground water basins throughout New Mexico. The State Engineer has the authority to establish these basins when regulation is necessary to protect prior appropriation, ensure water is put to beneficial use, and to maintain orderly development of the state’s water resources.
Knowing the quality of water that will be with the well is extremely important. This depends on both natural and man-made environmental factors. New Mexico well drillers need to drill through a combination of sedimentary and volcanic geological bedrock. This means that some areas may have very clean, pure water while other places may have water with a sulphuric or brackish quality. Instruments used by American Water Surveyors, such as the GF3500 seismoelectric survey, are designed specifically for detecting electrical signals generated by the passage of seismic impulses through layered rocks, sediments and soils. Other technologies are unwieldy and costly compared with seismoelectric and have fundamental limitations.
Physics is the only effective method for locating groundwater in advance of the drilling – not magic. American Water Surveyors will do the physics, making the decision to choose one of the approximate 200 New Mexico well drillers a positive experience. American Water Surveyors use a seismoelectric technique which is cost-conscious for groundwater users. One of the many benefits to using American Water Surveyors is the low cost, non-intrusive aquifer quality mapping. Mapping aquifer quality with an array of survey locations ensures that drilling costs are not wasted.
Putting your trust in contacting American Water Surveyors will guarantee your confidence in your decision in choosing among the many New Mexico well drillers.
Contact 877-734-7661 www.wefindwater.com
