Laura Paskus is an environment reporter for New Mexico Political Report. She has been writing about New Mexico’s natural resources and communities since 2002, as an assistant editor of High Country News, a radio producer at KUNM-FM, managing editor of Tribal College Journal and a freelancer for a variety of publications including the Santa Fe Reporter, New Mexico In Depth and Indian Country Today. https://www.newsdeeply.com/water/contributor/laura-paskus/rss en Agriculture American West Climate & Weather Environment & Wildlife Law & Policy Management & Supply Tue, 25 Sep 2018 08:00:00 +0000 Laura Paskus https://www.newsdeeply.com/water/articles/2018/09/25/as-new-mexico-reservoirs-hit-bottom-worries-grow-over-the-future https://www.newsdeeply.com/water/articles/2018/09/25/as-new-mexico-reservoirs-hit-bottom-worries-grow-over-the-future The state’s reservoirs have done their job to help water users survive record drought in 2018. Now they are almost totally dry, and tensions are building over the year ahead. ‘Climate change is really happening,’ one water official says. American West Economics Energy Innovation Law & Policy Solutions Mon, 17 Sep 2018 08:00:00 +0000 Laura Paskus https://www.newsdeeply.com/water/articles/2018/09/17/in-new-mexico-move-to-reuse-fracking-water-stirs-cry-for-transparency https://www.newsdeeply.com/water/articles/2018/09/17/in-new-mexico-move-to-reuse-fracking-water-stirs-cry-for-transparency The state formed a working group, with the blessing of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, to find ways to reuse wastewater from natural gas fracking wells. But concerned citizens say the process needs more daylight. Agriculture American West Law & Policy Management & Supply Tue, 14 Aug 2018 03:00:00 +0000 Laura Paskus https://www.newsdeeply.com/water/articles/2018/08/14/new-mexico-groundwater-diversion-plan-rejected-as-water-speculation https://www.newsdeeply.com/water/articles/2018/08/14/new-mexico-groundwater-diversion-plan-rejected-as-water-speculation Augustin Plains Ranch wanted to build 37 wells and a pipeline to deliver groundwater from remote Catron County to the Albuquerque metro area. For the third time, the state engineer found the plan would violate New Mexico law. American West Climate & Weather Environment & Wildlife Management & Supply Solutions Wed, 01 Aug 2018 05:00:00 +0000 Laura Paskus https://www.newsdeeply.com/water/articles/2018/08/01/giving-back-to-the-rio-grande-one-deal-one-drop-at-a-time https://www.newsdeeply.com/water/articles/2018/08/01/giving-back-to-the-rio-grande-one-deal-one-drop-at-a-time With a dismal snowpack this year and parts of the Rio Grande running dry, a new deal among an environmental group, municipalities and businesses in New Mexico will help restore some flows for the river to benefit the ecosystem and endangered species. American West Climate & Weather Management & Supply Wed, 11 Jul 2018 08:00:00 +0000 Laura Paskus https://www.newsdeeply.com/water/articles/2018/07/11/monsoon-rains-provide-some-relief-to-drought-stricken-new-mexico https://www.newsdeeply.com/water/articles/2018/07/11/monsoon-rains-provide-some-relief-to-drought-stricken-new-mexico The arrival of the heavy rains has been a welcome relief, but it’s not expected to be enough to help the state’s ailing rivers fully recover from drought. American West Law & Policy Management & Supply Thu, 03 May 2018 03:00:00 +0000 Laura Paskus https://www.newsdeeply.com/water/articles/2018/05/03/amid-high-court-battle-texas-keeps-an-eye-on-new-mexicos-groundwater https://www.newsdeeply.com/water/articles/2018/05/03/amid-high-court-battle-texas-keeps-an-eye-on-new-mexicos-groundwater A fight over groundwater between New Mexico and Texas is in the hands of the U.S. Supreme Court, but the battle has intensified as New Mexico contemplates allowing a copper mine to pump more than 1 billion gallons of groundwater annually. Agriculture American West Climate & Weather Environment & Wildlife Management & Supply Tue, 10 Apr 2018 03:00:00 +0000 Laura Paskus https://www.newsdeeply.com/water/articles/2018/04/10/its-only-april-and-a-stretch-of-the-rio-grande-has-already-dried https://www.newsdeeply.com/water/articles/2018/04/10/its-only-april-and-a-stretch-of-the-rio-grande-has-already-dried Stretches of the Middle Rio Grande in New Mexico sometimes run dry during hot summer months, but this year biologists are trying to rescue stranded fish in early April – something that’s unprecedented. American West Climate & Weather Environment & Wildlife Management & Supply Thu, 15 Mar 2018 03:00:00 +0000 Laura Paskus https://www.newsdeeply.com/water/articles/2018/03/15/grim-forecast-for-the-rio-grande-raises-concern https://www.newsdeeply.com/water/articles/2018/03/15/grim-forecast-for-the-rio-grande-raises-concern Water managers in New Mexico will be relying on stored water to meet ecological, agricultural and water supply needs as the runoff from this winter is expected to be notably low.