The purpose of the Watershed District Act is to secure the federal assistance provided in Public Law 566 of the 83rd congress, and amendatory legislation, for New Mexico in its program to further the conservation, development, utilization, flood prevention and disposal of water, and thereby preserve and protect New Mexico's land and water resources.
History: 1953 Comp., § 45-5-21, enacted by Laws 1957, ch. 210, § 3.
ANNOTATIONSCross references. — For Public Law 566 of the 83rd congress, see 16 U.S.C. §§ 1001 to 1008 and 33 U.S.C. § 701b.
Purpose of watershed district. — A watershed district is not a public utility organized for the purpose of supplying water to consumers. The basic purpose of the district is to "preserve and protect New Mexico's land and water resources." 1963 Op. Att'y Gen. No. 63-78.
District's funds can be used to pay portion of cost of reorganizing irrigations systems. This expenditure of funds is permissible only if the purpose of the reorganization is directly related to the conservation of water or one of the other statutory purposes for which watershed districts are established. 1963 Op. Att'y Gen. No. 63-78.