Water Resources and Quality

Assisting Clients with Transactional and Litigation Matters

In the West, no natural resources practice is complete without legal expertise in that precious and scarce resource, water. Modrall Sperling's water law attorneys have experience in handling a wide range of administrative, transactional and litigation matters regarding water, including advising clients, assisting clients in perfecting water rights, obtaining permits, negotiating with government agencies and other parties, and complying with the regulatory requirements of federal, state, and local agencies. We perform due diligence analyses of water rights for real estate and development transactions, prepare water rights declarations and applications for water rights permits, provide advice concerning wetlands and endangered species protection, and help acquire or sell water rights. In addition, we have represented and currently represent clients in small and large-scale litigation and stream adjudications throughout New Mexico. Our water law attorneys are regularly invited to speak at water law seminars and actively participate in national professional water organizations.

In conjunction with Modrall Sperling's environmental attorneys, our water law attorneys also work extensively with state and federal water quality statutes and regulations.

Our Range of Water Law Clients

Our water law clients include natural resources developers, large ranching and farming operations, municipalities, schools, and water utilities. We take pride in our ability to review what needs to be done, communicate clearly to the client, and perform water law services in a thorough yet cost-effective and timely manner.