Legal Notices-Government

Socorro County is the New Mexico county affected by the diversion and in which the water has been or will be put to beneficial use. This notice is ordered to be published in the El Defensor Chieftain (Socorro County).

The applicant proposes to discontinue the diversion/consumptive use amount of 2.94 acre-feet per annum of Groundwater, for commercial gravel quarry operation purposes within 34.59 acres of land owned by Castillo Ready Mix Concrete, Inc., described as located within Pt. of the NE¼ NE¼, within Pt. of the SE¼ NE¼ of projected Section 07, and within Pt. of the W½ W½ W½ NW¼ of projected Section 08, all within the Belen Claim and the Casa Colorado Grant, within projected Township 03 North, Range 02 East, NMPM, Veguita, Socorro County, New Mexico, from Declared Well RG-87451, on land owned by Castillo Ready Mix Concrete, Inc., located at a point described X=337,701 meters and Y=3,819,433 meters, UTM Zone 13 North, NAD 83, within the Belen Claim and the Casa Colorado Grant, within projected Section 7, Township 03 North, Range 02 East, NMPM, Veguita, Socorro County, New Mexico. The move-from well and move-from place of use are generally located East of NM Highway 304, 0.12 mile South of Ranchitos Rd., Veguita, Socorro County, New Mexico.

The applicant further proposes to transfer the consumptive use amount of 2.94 acre-feet per annum of Groundwater to Well RG-99299 POD1 (to be drilled under Exploratory Permit No. RG-99299 POD1 Explor.), on land owned by Richard Castillo, located at an approximate point described as X=338,137 meters and Y=3,816,563 meters, UTM Zone 13 North, NAD 83, within the Belen Claim and the Casa Colorado Grant, drilled to an approximate depth of 500 feet, with a 14-inch casing, for commercial gravel quarry operation purposes within 201.6499 acres total, owned by Richard Castillo, within the Belen Claim and the Casa Colorado Grant described as 145.7658 acres being Tract A of Plat showing Split of Land of Joe T. and Celia B. Milavec Grandchildren Trust, Plat Book AA, Page 821 and Amended Plat Book AA, Page 906, within projected Section 17, Township 3 North, Range 2 East, NMPM. And 55.8841 acres being Parcel A of Plat showing Split of Land of Donald Fate Plat Book AA, Page 657A, within projected Sections 17 and 20, Township 3 North, Range 2 East, NMPM, Veguita, Socorro County, New Mexico. The move-to well and move-to place of use is generally located within 1 mile southeast of the intersection of NM Highway 304 and Carlos Martinez Rd., Veguita, Socorro County, New Mexico.

On May 4, 2021, the applicant requested this application be amended to reflect an increase in the size of the outside diameter of the casing for the subject move-to well. Thus, this amendment requires this Notice to be re-published.

To view the application and supporting documentation, contact the State Engineer District 1 Office to arrange a date and time for an appointment. The District 1 Office is located at 5550 San Antonio Drive NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109.

Any person, firm or corporation or other entity having standing to file objections or protests shall do so in writing (objection must be legible, signed, and include the writer’s complete name, phone number, email address, and mailing address). The objection to the approval of the application must be based on: (1) Impairment; if impairment, you must specifically identify your water rights; and/or (2) Public Welfare/Conservation of Water; if public welfare or conservation of water within the state of New Mexico, you must show how you will be substantially and specifically affected. The written protest must be filed, in triplicate, with the State Engineer, District 1 Office, 5550 San Antonio Drive NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109, by July 16, 2021. Facsimiles (faxes) will be accepted as a valid protest if the hard copy is hand-delivered or mailed and postmarked within 24-hours of the facsimile. Mailing postmark will be used to validate the 24-hour period. Protests can be faxed to the Office of the State Engineer, District 1 Office, (505) 383-4030. If no valid protest or objection is filed, the State Engineer will evaluate the application in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 72 NMSA 1978.