TITLE 19 NATURAL RESOURCES AND WILDLIFE

CHAPTER 27 UNDERGROUND WATER

PART 61 SALT UNDERGROUND WATER BASIN

19.27.61.1 ISSUING AGENCY: Office of the New Mexico State Engineer, P.O. Box 25102, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87504-5102, (505) 827-6091

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19.27.61.2 SCOPE: Anyone proposing to drill a well and/or appropriate ground water in the area DEFINED

AS the Salt Underground Water Basin.

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19.27.61.3 STATUTORY AUTHORITY: N.M.S.A. 72-1-1, 72-2-1, 72-2-8, 72-2-9, 72-12-1 and 72-12-3 through 72-12-28 (1997).

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19.27.61.4 DURATION: Permanent

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19.27.61.5 EFFECTIVE DATE: September 13, 2000

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19.27.61.6 OBJECTIVE: The objective of this Special Order No. 156 is to take administrative control of the underground waters within a specific area of the state, to provide for the orderly development of water rights and to protect existing water rights. The waters of the underground streams, channels, artesian basins, reservoirs or lakes having reasonable ascertainable boundaries, are public waters and are subject to appropriation for beneficial use. The Salt Basin is currently not part of a declared underground water basin. THEREFORE, the area in Otero and Chaves counties comprising approximately 2420 square miles and more fully described hereinafter as the Salt Underground Water Basin is hereby declared , subject to New Mexico statutes and the rules and regulations of the State Engineer.

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19.27.61.7 DEFINITIONS: [Reserved]

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19.27.61.8 STATE ENGINEER SPECIAL ORDER NO. 156 – SALT UNDERGROUND WATER BASIN:

The area included within the Salt Underground Water Basin begins at the southeast corner of Section 31, Township 26 South, Range 10 East (a point where the eastern boundary of the declared Tularosa Underground Water Basin intersects the New Mexico-Texas border); thence north along section lines to the southeast corner of Section 7, Township 26 South, Range 10 East; thence east along section lines to the southeast corner of Section 10, Township 26 South, Range 10 East; thence north along section lines to the northwest corner of Section 35, Township 25 South, Range 10 East; thence east along section lines to the northeast corner of Section 36, Township 25 South, Range 10 East; thence north along the range line to the southwest corner of Section 6, Township 23 South, Range 11 East; thence east along the section line to the southeast corner of Section 6, Township 23 South, Range 11 East; thence north along section lines to the northeast corner of Section 18, Township 22 South, Range 11 East; thence west along section lines to the southwest corner of Section 12, Township 22 South, Range 10 East; thence north along section lines to the northwest corner of Section 1, Township 22 South, Range 10 East; thence east along the township line to the southeast corner of Section 31, Township 21 South, Range 11 East; thence north along the section line to the southeast corner of Section 30, Township 21 South, Range 11 East; thence east along the section line to the southeast corner of Section 29, Township 21 South, Range 11 East; thence north along the section line to the southeast corner of Section 20, Township 21 South, Range 11 East; thence east along the section line to the southeast corner of Section 21, Township 21 South, Range 11 East; thence north along section lines to the northwest corner of Section 3, Township 21 North, Range 11 East; thence east along the township line to the southeast corner of Section 35, Township 20 South, Range 11 East; thence north along the section line to the northeast corner of said Section 35; thence east along section lines to the northeast corner of Section 31, Township 20 South, Range 12 East; thence north along section lines to the southwest corner of Section 29, Township 19 South, Range 12 East; thence east along the section line of said Section 29 to its intersection with the drainage divide between the Tularosa Basin and the Sacramento River stream system; thence northerly along the drainage divide, passing through Sacramento Peak in Section 33, Township 17 South, Range 11 East to the intersection of the drainage boundary between a tributary of San Andres Canyon tributary of the Tularosa Basin, Water Canyon of the Penasco River of the Pecos River stream system and the Sacramento River on the east line for the northwest quarter of Section 27, Township 17 South, Range 11 East (a point where the existing Tularosa Basin intersects the existing Penasco Basin); thence south along the quarter section line to the center of Section 27, Township 17 South, Range 11 East; thence east along the quarter section line to the west quarter corner of Section 26, Township 17 South, Range 11 East; thence south along the section line to the northwest corner of Section 35, Township 17 South, Range 11 East; thence east along the section line to the north quarter corner of said Section 35; thence south along the quarter section line to the center of said Section 35; thence east along the quarter section line to the west quarter corner of Section 36, Township 17 South, Range 11 East; thence south along the section line to the southwest corner of Section 36, Township 17 South, Range 11 East; thence east along the section line to the north quarter corner of Section 1, Township 18 South, Range 11 East; thence south along the quarter section line to the center of said Section 1; thence east along the quarter section line to the range line between Range 11 East and Range 12 East; thence south along the range line to the southwest corner of Section 6, Township 18 South, Range 12 East; thence east along section lines to the southwest corner of Section 4, Township 18 South, Range 12 East; thence south along section lines to the southwest corner of Section 16, Township 18 South, Range 12 East; thence east along the section line to the quarter corner of Section 21, Township 18 South, Range 12 East; thence south along the quarter section line to the center of said Section 21; thence east along the quarter section line to the west section line of Section 22, Township 18 South, Range 12 East; thence south along section lines to the northeast corner of Section 33, Township 18 South, Range 12 East; thence east along the section line to the northeast corner of Section 34, Township 18 South, Range 12 East; thence south along the section line to the west quarter corner of Section 35, Township 18 South, Range 12 East; thence east along the quarter section line to the east quarter corner of said Section 35; thence north along the section line to the northwest corner of Section 36, Township 18 South, Range 12 East; thence east along the section line to the northeast corner of Section 36, Township 18 South, Range 12 East; thence south along the range line to the southwest corner of Section 31, Township 18 South, Range 13 East; thence east along the township line to the northwest corner of Section 5, Township 19 South, Range 13 East; thence south along section lines to the northwest corner of Section 17, Township 19 South, Range 13 East; thence east along the section line to the quarter corner of said Section 17; thence south along the quarter section line to the center of said Section 17; thence east along the quarter section line to the east quarter corner of said Section 16, Township 19 South, Range 13 East; thence north along the section line to the northeast corner of said Section 16; thence east along the section line to the south quarter corner of Section 10, Township 19 South, Range 13 East; thence north along the quarter section line to the north quarter corner of said Section 10; thence east along the section line to the southwest corner of Section 2, Township 19 South, Range 13 East; thence north along the section line to the west quarter corner of said Section 2; thence east along quarter section lines to the center of Section 1, Township 19 South, Range 13 East; thence north along the quarter section line to the north quarter corner of said Section 1; thence east along the township line to the southeast corner of Section 31, Township 18 South, Range 14 East; thence north along the section line to the west quarter corner of Section 32, Township 18 South, Range 14 East; thence east along the quarter section line to the east quarter corner of said Section 32; thence north along the section line to the northwest corner of Section 33, Township 18 South, Range 14 East; thence east along the section line to the northeast corner of said Section 33; thence south to the west quarter corner of Section 34, Township 18 South, Range 14 East; thence east along the quarter section line to the east quarter corner to said Section 34; thence south along the section line to the southwest corner of Section 35, Township 18 South, Range 14 East; thence east along the township line to the southeast corner of Section 31, Township 18 South, Range 16 East (a point where the existing Penasco Basin and the existing Roswell Basin intersect); thence south along the section line to the southwest corner of Section 5, Township 19 South, Range 16 East; thence east along the section line to the northeast corner of Section 8, Township 19 South, Range 16 East; thence south along the section line to the northeast corner of Section 17, Township 19 South, Range 16 East; thence east along the section line to the northeast corner of Section 16, Township 19 South, Range 16 East; thence south along the section line to the southeast corner of said Section 16; thence east along section lines to the southwest corner of Section 13, Township 19 South, Range 17 East; thence south along the section line to the southwest corner of Section 24, Township 19 South, Range 17 East; thence east along section lines to the southeast corner of Section 19, Township 19 South, Range 18 East; thence south along section lines to the southwest corner of Section 20, Township 21 South, Range 18 East; thence east along the section line to the southwest corner of Section 21, Township 21 South, Range 18 East; thence south along the section line to the southwest corner of Section 28, Township 21 South, Range 18 East; thence east along the section line to the southwest corner of Section 27, Township 21 South, Range 18 East; thence south along the section line to the southwest corner of Section 34, Township 21 South, Range 18 East; thence east along the township line to the northwest corner of Section 6, Township 22 South, Range 19 East; thence south along the range line to the southwest corner of said Section 6; thence east along the section line to the southeast corner of said Section 6; thence south along section lines to the northeast corner of Section 19, Township 22 South, Range 19 East; thence east along the section line to the northeast corner of Section 20, Township 22 South, Range 19 East; thence south along the section line to the northeast corner of Section 29, Township 22 South, Range 19 East; thence east along the section line to the northeast corner of Section 28, Township 22 South, Range 19 East; thence south along the section line to the northeast corner of Section 33, Township 22 South, Range 19 East; thence east along the section line to the northeast corner of Section 34, Township 22 South, Range 19 East; thence south along section lines to the southwest corner of Section 2, Township 23 South, Range 19 East; thence east along the section line to the southwest corner of Section 1, Township 23 South, Range 19 East; thence south along the section line to the southwest corner of Section 12, Township 23 South, Range 19 East; thence east along the section line to the range line between Ranges 19 East and 20 East; thence south along the range line to the southwest corner of Section 18, Township 23 South, Range 20 East; thence east along the section line to the southeast corner of said Section 18; thence south along the section line to the southwest corner of Section 20, Township 23 South, Range 20 East; thence east along the section line to the northwest corner of Section 28, Township 23 South, Range 20 East; thence south along the section line to the southwest corner of said Section 28; thence east along the section line to the northeast corner of Section 33, Township 23 South, Range 20 East; thence south along the section line to the southeast corner of said Section 33; thence east along the township line to the northeast corner of Section 3, Township 24 South, Range 20 East; thence south along section lines to the northeast corner of Section 15, Township 24 South, Range 20 East; thence east along the section line to the northeast corner of Section 14, Township 24 South, Range 20 East; thence south along section lines to the southwest corner of Section 36, Township 24 South, Range 20 East; thence east along the township line to the northwest corner of Section 6, Township 25 South, Range 21 East; thence south along the range line to the southwest corner of said Section 6; thence east along section lines to the southeast corner of Section 5, Township 25 South, Range 21 East; thence south along section lines to the southeast corner of Section 32, Township 25 South, Range 21 East (a point where the existing Roswell Basin and the existing Carlsbad Basin intersect); thence south along section lines to the southeast corner of Section 32, Township 26 South, Range 21 East (a point where the existing Carlsbad Basin intersects the border between New Mexico and Texas); thence west along the New Mexico-Texas border to the southeast corner of Section 31, Township 26 South, Range 10 East (the point of beginning where the existing Tularosa Basin intersects the border between New Mexico and Texas).

[19.27.61.8 – N, 9-13-00]