The New Mexico Office of the State Engineer oversees the state’s water resources, including surface streams and rivers as well as groundwater. The office dates back to 1907 when the Territorial Legislature passed New Mexico’s Territorial Water Code. The State Engineer is considered New Mexico’s top water official.
The New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission is mandated to “investigate, protect, conserve, and develop” New Mexico’s surface waters. The commission itself includes nine members. All of them, including the State Engineer—who serves as the commission’s secretary—are appointed by the governor.
The ISC also includes staff members such as attorneys and water experts. With authority granted under state law, the ISC negotiates with other states on interstate stream compacts and disagreements.
Current Interstate Steam Commissioners:
State Engineer and ISC Secretary
Tom Blaine
Appointed: December 2014 by Susana Martinez; confirmed by NM State Legislature in March 2015
Agricultural engineer. In 2012, appointed as Division Director of New Mexico Environment Department’s Environmental Health Division. Before that, owned Blaine Engineering, a construction contracting company. Prior to that, worked as an engineer at the New Mexico Department of Transportation and for the City of Albuquerque.
ISC Director
Deborah Dixon
Appointed: February 2015 by Martinez
Civil engineer. Most recent position was senior vice president at Bohannan Huston, Inc.
ISC Chairman
Caleb Chandler (Clovis)
Appointed: 2015 by Martinez
Retired Clovis police chief. Former New Mexico state senator. Former Curry County Commissioner. Former magistrate judge. Commissioner for Canadian River Compact. Secretary for Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority.
Vice Chair
Topper Thorpe (Cliff)
Appointed: 2012 by Martinez
According to the press release for his appointment, he “owns and operates an irrigated farm in the Gila Basin and has been a leader in the Southwest New Mexico Water Planning Stakeholders Group since its inception, serving as co-chairman for the last two years. He is also the chairman of the Gila Basin Irrigation Commission and is a commissioner for the Fort West Irrigation Association.
ISC commissioner
James Dunlap (Farmington)
Appointed: 2003 by Gary Johnson. Reappointed by Bill Richardson, and by Susana Martinez
Past president of the National Rural Water Association and co-founder of the San Juan Water Commission, which was created in 1986 to ensure New Mexico cities and farms receive their share of water from the San Juan River, a tributary of the Colorado River. He also founded the New Mexico Rural Water Users Association.
ISC commissioner
Blane Sanchez (Isleta/Acoma pueblos)
Appointed: 2003, as the state’s first pueblo commissioner
Currently is the program manager for the Water Resources Research Institute at New Mexico State University. Sanchez cast the only “no” vote against the diversion alternative in November 2014. Sanchez said during that meeting that he would have voted differently if the commission had been presented with more information about how the diversion would be funded.
ISC commissioner
Buford Harris (Mesilla)
Appointed: Initially by Gary Johnson. Reappointed by Richardson, and by Martinez
Fourth-generation cotton and alfalfa farmer in the Mesilla Valley.
ISC commissioner
James Wilcox (Carlsbad)
Appointed: Long-time commissioner, reappointed by both Richardson and Martinez.
Retired from decades in the potash industry in 1999. Served as chairman of the National Mining Association’s Safety Committee, chairman of the U.S. Labor Department’s Mining Industry Committee on Substance Abuse, and chairman of the Palmer Drug Abuse Program, in Carlsbad.
ISC commissioner
Mark Sanchez (Albuquerque)
Appointed: 2006 by Bill Richardson, reappointed by Martinez
Executive director of the Albuquerque Bernalillo Water Utility Authority, 2004-present.
2014 Interstate Stream Commission
Commissioner Blane Sanchez cast the only vote against diversion. Topper Thorpe, chairman of the Gila Basin Irrigation Commission—whose members could benefit from the diversion—abstained from voting.
State Engineer
Scott Verhines
Appointed: December 2011 by Susana Martinez
Civil engineer. President at Occam Consulting Engineers, Inc. and program manager for the Eastern New Mexico Rural Water Authority, which advocates for and oversees a project to pipe water from Ute Lake near Logan, in Quay County, to Curry and Roosevelt counties. Current role/job: Martinez removed Verhines as State Engineer, and he returned to private consulting.
Director of ISC
Estevan Lopez
Appointed: 2003 by Bill Richardson. Re-appointed 2011 by Susana Martinez
Petroleum engineer. Former county manager and land use and utility director for Santa Fe County.
Current role/job: March 2014, nominated by President Obama to serve as Commissioner of the US Bureau of Reclamation.
Chairman, ISC
James Dunlap (Farmington)
Appointed: 2003 by Gary Johnson. Reappointed by Bill Richardson, and by Susana Martinez
Past president of the National Rural Water Association and co-founder of the San Juan Water Commission, which was created in 1986 to ensure New Mexico cities and farms receive their share of water from the San Juan River, a tributary of the Colorado River. He also founded the New Mexico Rural Water Users Association.
Current role/job: Still on ISC.
ISC commissioner
Mark Sanchez (Albuquerque)
Appointed: 2006 by Richardson, reappointed by Martinez
Executive director of the Albuquerque Bernalillo Water Utility Authority, 2004-present.
Current role/job: Still on ISC.
ISC commissioner
Blane Sanchez (Isleta/Acoma pueblos)
Appointed: 2003, as the state’s first pueblo commissioner
Currently is the program manager for the Water Resources Research Institute at New Mexico State University. Sanchez cast the only “no” vote against the diversion alternative in November 2014. Sanchez said during that meeting that he would have voted differently if the commission had been presented with more information about how the diversion would be funded.
Current role/job: Still on ISC.
ISC commissioner
James Wilcox (Carlsbad)
Appointed: Long-time commissioner, reappointed by both Richardson and Martinez.
Retired from decades in the potash industry in 1999. Served as chairman of the National Mining Association’s Safety Committee, chairman of the U.S. Labor Department’s Mining Industry Committee on Substance Abuse, and chairman of the Palmer Drug Abuse Program, in Carlsbad.
Current role/job: Still on ISC.
ISC commissioner
Buford Harris (Mesilla)
Appointed: Initially by Gary Johnson. Reappointed by Richardson, and by Martinez
Fourth-generation cotton and alfalfa farmer in the Mesilla Valley.
Current role/job: Still on ISC.
ISC commissioner
Topper Thorpe (Cliff)
Appointed: 2012 by Martinez
According to the press release for his appointment, he “owns and operates an irrigated farm in the Gila Basin and has been a leader in the Southwest New Mexico Water Planning Stakeholders Group since its inception, serving as co-chairman for the last two years. He is also the chairman of the Gila Basin Irrigation Commission and is a commissioner for the Fort West Irrigation Association.
Current role/job: Still on ISC.
ISC commissioner
Randal Crowder (Clovis)
Appointed: 2011 by Martinez
Builder/Developer. Vice-chair of Ute Reservoir Water Commission (2008-2011). Mayor pro-tem of Clovis (2006-201)). Clovis commissioner since 2004.
Current role/job: Republican state representative since 2015. Member of House Agriculture, Water & Wildlife and House Ways & Means committees. No longer on ISC.
ISC commissioner
Phelps Anderston (Roswell)
Appointed: 2011 by Martinez
President of Sun Valley Energy. Served two terms in New Mexico Legislature. No longer on ISC.
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NMID compiled this information via the Interstate Stream Commission’s website, press releases from the Office of the Governor, news reports, LinkedIn profiles, resumes/CVs, and the reporter’s past coverage.