City commission OK's water rights purchase

A contract for the city’s $1.86 million purchase of water rights adjacent to Cannon Air Force Base was approved during a special meeting of the city commission Thursday at the Clovis-Carver Library.

After months of discussion between the city and the Economic Development and Tax Advisory Board, which is involved because economic development funds are being used, the city is set to purchase 930 acres of water rights from farmer J.L. Wall.

The water rights would help maintain a water supply for Cannon as well as the city of Clovis.

“It’s been a nine-month process,” Mayor David Lansford said. “I think the nine months represent a considerable amount of exploration, examination and forethought.”

Lansford said two items were specified in the final contract — that the city will pay up to $20,000 for a domestic well to be used by the Wall household, and that Wall may drill 10 more domestic wells that may not be located on the southwest section of the farm.

It is the southwest section of the farm, Lansford said, that contains the best water supply on the farm.

Lansford said getting a reduction in the price, Lansford said, because it is allowing Wall to drill the 10 domestic wells.

The purchase will also include 10 irrigation wells, well casings, and easements.

Lansford said the next step in maintaining a sustainable water source is to encourage area farmers to convert from irrigation to dryland farming, which relies solely on rainfall to irrigate crops.

He said a preliminary federal grant application has been sent to the Department of Agriculture to help fund a program that would give farmers a monetary incentive to make the change.

The program would be administered by the New Mexico Association of Conservation Districts, Lansford said.