LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) Water is flowing in the Rio Grande's riverbed in Las Cruces for the first time this year. The Las Cruces Sun-News reports that water reached Las Cruces on Monday after releases from reservoirs in Sierra County started Saturday for a 45-day irrigation season.
A Bureau of Reclamation official says it took longer than normal for the water to flow downstream to Las Cruces because the riverbed is extremely dry due to the ongoing drought.
BLM manager Bert Cortez says the 160,000 acre-feet of water will be distributed to irrigators in New Mexico, Texas and Mexico. That's about 5 percent of a full allocation, and Cortez says the release will be stretched out as much as possible.
