The Office of the State Engineer Declared Groundwater Basin map layer closely follow the legal desciptions. However, these boundaries are approximations. For a more accurate description please refer to Article 7 of the "Rules and Regulations Governing the Appropriation and Use of Ground Water in New Mexico." A Declared Groundwater Basin is an area declared by the State Engineer to be underlain by a groundwater source with reasonably defined boundaries. By declaration the State Engineer assumes jurisdiction over the appropriation and use of groundwater from that source.
