The Rio Grande’s Drier Future

April 9, 2021 – As the climate warms, arid regions like New Mexico will continue to become increasingly dry. That affects our snowpack—and everything downstream, including our forests, rivers, reservoirs, and farm fields. On this month’s episode of Our Land, we visit Elephant Butte Reservoir in southern New Mexico, which was at 10 percent capacity in March. And we consider the future of the Rio Grande, agriculture, and reservoirs like Elephant Butte. 

Aerial footage courtesy of LightHawk pilot Barry Harper and co-pilot Hal Porter.   

Correspondent: 
Laura Paskus, NMiF environment reporter 

Guests:  
Gary Esslinger, treasurer/manager, Elephant Butte Irrigation District  
Dagmar Llewellyn, hydrologist, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation    

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