Water Trust Board
The 2001 Legislature enacted the Water Project Finance Act which created the Water Project Fund in the New Mexico Finance Authority (NMFA) and charged the NMFA with administration of the Fund and the Water Trust Board (WTB).
The WTB is a diverse 16-member board that recommends to the Legislature projects to be funded through the Water Project Fund. Per New Mexico Statute Annotated (N.M.S.A.) 72-4A-5, Board; duties, the WTB responsibilities are:
“A. adopt rules governing terms and conditions of grants or loans recommended by the board for appropriation by the legislature from the water project fund, giving priority to projects that have been identified as being urgent to meet the needs of a regional water planning area that has a completed regional water plan that has been accepted by the interstate stream commission; that have matching contributions from federal or local funding sources available; and that have obtained all requisite state and federal permits and authorizations necessary to initiate the project.”
Pursuant to the Act, members of the WTB are:
- Office of the State Engineer
- Director of the Department of Game and Fish
- Secretary of Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources
- Secretary of Environment
- Secretary of Finance and Administration
- Director of the New Mexico Department of Agriculture
- Executive Director of the New Mexico Municipal League
- Executive Director of the New Mexico Association of Counties
- President of the Navajo Nation
- Chief Executive Officer of the New Mexico Finance Authority
- New Mexico Indian Affairs Commission
- An Environmental Community representative from the public*
- An Irrigation or Conservancy District Surface Water representative from the public*
- An Acequia Water Users representative from the public*
- An Soil and Water Conservation District representative from the public*
- An Irrigation or Conservancy District Group Water representative from the public*
*Public members are appointed by the Governor for a four (4) year term
The officers of the WTB will be a Chairman, a Vice Chairman, a Treasurer, a Secretary, and such other officers as the Board may from time to time elect or appoint. Election of officers is conducted by a majority of current members. Except for their initial terms of office, the term of office for all officers, is two years ending on June 30. Any officer may serve any number of successive terms of office.
The Policy Committee and Project Review Committee are made up of members of the WTB, as required to carry out the continuing functions and purposes of the WTB. The responsibility of these committees was established by the WTB to perform the following:
Policy Committee
Review recommendations by NMFA staff and make recommendations to the WTB, including but not limited to, approval or disapproval of all WTB policies and rules.
Project Review Committee
Review all project recommendations by NMFA staff and make recommendations to the WTB including, but not limited to, approval or disapproval for all project-related actions of the WTB.
Task Force Committees may be appointed by the Chairman of the WTB as deemed necessary to the functioning of the WTB. Task Force Committees shall be limited in their jurisdiction to the purpose of their establishment as set forth by the Chairman of the Board. Members of Task Force Committees must be members of the WTB.
Water Trust Board Members
| NAME | POSITION |
| Mike Hamman | Water Trust Board Chair; New Mexico State Engineer |
| A.J. Forte | Water Trust Board Vice Chair; Executive Director, New Mexico Municipal League |
| Michael Sloane | Water Trust Board Secretary; Director, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish |
| Mark Thompson | Water Trust Board Treasurer; New Mexico Indian Affairs Department Representative |
| Greg Alpers | Irrigation/Conservancy District-Surface Water Representative |
| Vacant | Acequia Water Users Representative |
| James Kenney | Secretary, New Mexico Environment Department |
| Joy Esparsen | Executive Director, New Mexico Counties |
| Priscilla Lucero | Environmental Community Representative |
| Timothy D. McGinn | Irrigation/Conservancy District-Ground Water Representative |
| Dr. Buu Nygren | President, Navajo Nation |
| Dylan Fuge | Secretary, New Mexico Energy, Minerals, Natural Resources Department |
| Wayne Propst | Secretary, New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration |
| Marquita Russel | Chief Executive Officer, New Mexico Finance Authority |
| Brent Van Dyke | Soil and Water Conservation District Representative |
| Jeff M. Witte | Director, New Mexico Department of Agriculture |
Meeting Dates, Agendas, Minutes
| MEETING DATES | AGENDAS | MINUTES |
| November 29, 2016 | Agenda | November 29, 2016 |
| November 3, 2016 | Agenda | November 03, 2016 |
| September 28, 2016 | Agenda | September 28, 2016 |
| July 6, 2016 | Agenda | N/A |
| May 11, 2016 | Agenda | May 11, 2016 |
| April 13, 2016 | Agenda |
April 13, 2016 |
| January 7, 2016 | Agenda |
January 7, 2016 |
| MEETING DATES | AGENDAS | MINUTES |
| December 03, 2014 | Agenda | Minutes |
| October 16, 2014 | Agenda | Minutes |
| September 24, 2014 | Agenda | Minutes |
| August 13, 2014 | Agenda | Minutes |
| July 23, 2014 | Agenda | Minutes |
| June 09, 2014 | Agenda |
Minutes |
| May 21, 2014 | Agenda |
Minutes |
| April 23, 2014 | Agenda |
Minutes |
| March 12, 2014 | Agenda |
Minutes |
| MEETING DATES | AGENDAS | MINUTES |
| December 5, 2013 | Agenda | Minutes |
| November 2013 | Agenda | N/A |
| October 20, 2013 | Agenda | Minutes |
| September 19, 2013 | Agenda | Minutes |
| August 21, 2013 | Agenda | N/A |
| July 31, 2013 | Agenda | Minutes |
| June 12, 2013 | Agenda | N/A |
| May 22, 2013 | Agenda |
Minutes |
| April 24, 2013 | Agenda |
Minutes |
| January 09, 2013 | Agenda | Minutes |