San Juan River Basin Adjudication
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FAQ
Can I object to another person’s water right because it is invalid or I dispute its priority or some other aspect of the water right?
Each person claiming a water right in the San Juan River Basin (SJRB) has the right to object to another claimant’s water right. To object, a person must file a Notice of Intent to Participate in Inter Se Proceeding when the water right of concern is described in...
How will the Court adjudicate my water rights? When will it do so?
Each month the State of New Mexico (acting through the Office of the State Engineer) mails packets of documents (an "Adjudication Packet") to several people the State believes claim water rights in the AUB. This mailing is the first step in adjudicating the water...
What is an “inter se proceeding”? What is an “expedited inter se proceeding”?
An inter se proceeding, in the context of a water rights adjudication, is a proceeding in which all water rights owners in the basin have the opportunity to object to one another’s water rights. Historically, in New Mexico the Court adjudicated water rights in two...
What is a “water right adjudication”?
A “water right adjudication” is a legal proceeding in which the District Court determines (i.e. adjudicates) the elements of all water rights in a water basin. The elements of a water right are: the name of the owner and the priority of the water right; the amount of...