LRPA is extraordinarily well qualified in water law.  In addition to decades of experience in water rights consulting and strategizing, LRPA’s Attorneys have extensive experience with all aspects of water rights application and transfer processes.  LRPA is retained on a regular basis by Clients to provide water rights inventories, assessments and abstracts including evaluations of possible water rights uses, feasibility of use for alternative purposes and specific recommendations and strategies as to optimal uses for identified water rights.

 LRPA works with Clients to identify and prove up water right priority dates, identify place and purpose of use, size of the water right, applicable aquifer criteria (mined or hydraulically connected basin), rankings as to feasibility of a proposed transfer within a basin and out of basin as well as special considerations such as endangered species, basin regulations relating to transfers, State Engineer policies, reliability of supply, predictions as to the life of the aquifer, and probability of success of the transfer.

LRPA is familiar with all application processes before the Office of the State Engineer and has sucessfully transferred water rights throughout the State. LRPA's Attorneys were successful in two major New Mexico Supreme Court cases that now define the nature of ownership in water rights as well as the nature of the hydrologic connection between ground and surface water. See Hydro Resources Corp. v. Gray, 2007-NMSC-061, 143 N.M. 142, 753 P.3d 749; Herrington v. State of New Mexico ex rel. Office of the State Engineer, 2006-NMSC-014, 139 N.M. 368, 133 P.3d 258.  

Groundwater rights originating from a well drilled prior to the declaration of a basin are valid without acquiring a permit from the OSE.  LRPA works with Clients in identifying, protecting and maximizing the beneficial use of such assets.