Uncategorized

Silver City, NM, June 21, 2005 – There is no need for a water diversion on the Gila River, New Mexico’s last free-flowing river, as is being proposed under recently passed legislation, according to a technical analysis released by the Gila Conservation Coalition. The group’s economic analysis of future water supply needs for Silver City and the Central Mining District demonstrates that the area’s future water demand can be met through new well fields or a combination of new well fields and surface water use at approximately one tenth the cost of a Gila River diversion project. The Coalition’s chairman, M.H. “Dutch” Salmon, stated “Our results show that a Gila River diversion would cost at least 10 times more than drilling new wells or conjunctive use. This is an important finding. We need to look to low-cost alternatives to provide our future water supply and the Gila Conservation Coalition has proven that a diversion project just doesn’t make good economic sense.”

Click here to see the full press release.

Download the full report, Potential Economic Costs of a Gila River Diversion

September 24, 2004 – Gila River Threatened by Diversion Project

April 20, 2004 – Gila River Threatened by $220 Million Reservoir Project