{"data":{"id":"us-nm/72-12-25","jurisdiction":"us-nm","citation":"72-12-25","heading":"Declaration of basin; nonpotable deep aquifers.","body":"A. An undeclared underground water basin having reasonably ascertainable boundaries that consists of an aquifer, the top of which aquifer is at a depth of two thousand five hundred feet or more below the ground surface at any location at which a well is drilled and which aquifer contains only nonpotable water, is subject to state engineer administration in accordance with Sections 72-12-25 through 72-12-28 NMSA 1978.\nB. If the state engineer declares the type of underground water basin described in Subsection A of this section, all appropriations of nonpotable water from that basin for:\n(1) oil and gas exploration and production, prospecting, mining, road construction, agriculture, generation of electricity, use in an industrial process or geothermal use shall remain subject to Sections 72-12-25 through 72-12-28 NMSA 1978; and\n(2) all other uses shall be subject to Sections 72-12-1 through 72-12-24 NMSA 1978.\nC. \"Nonpotable water\", for the purpose of Sections 72-12-25 through 72-12-28 NMSA 1978, means water containing not less than one thousand parts per million of dissolved solids.","path":["Chapter 72 - Water Law","ARTICLE 12 Underground Waters"],"source_url":"https://nmonesource.com/nmos/nmsa-unanno/en/item/18575/index.do","current_through":"2026-07-01","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-03T15:02:20Z","sha256":"a2d038dce154bba99af98f92f303124818db8a7b85c2c856e415c2470adbc228","source_id":"us-nm","stale":false,"prev":"us-nm/72-12-24","next":"us-nm/72-12-26"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}