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TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES (Reuters) – TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES, N.M., July 10 (Reuters) – A small desert hamlet near Spaceport America in New Mexico is looking for a boost from tourism as the first passenger rocket plane prepares to take off. Truth or Consequences, a hamlet 30 miles from the launchpad, is supported by its hot springs, therapeutic waters, and the nearby Elephant Butte reservoir. However, tourism has declined as a result of the drought, which has caused the reservoir’s water level to drop to record lows. Residents of TorC, as it is known, are looking to the sky for relief. “This is genuine pioneering stuff, opening up the heavens to the entire globe,” said town manager Bruce Swingle, who is hosting a viewing party on Sunday for Virgin Galactic Holding Inc’s (SPCE.N) space tourism voyage, which will be launched by Richard Branson. According to him, the community never expected the “lion’s share” of cash from Spaceport America’s activities, but rather a constant stream that would develop alongside the launch station. Val Wilkes and her partner Cydney christened their motor lodge the Rocket Inn when they bought it a decade ago. “I’ve always been a science fiction enthusiast, and I enjoy being right where science fiction is becoming science fact,” she explained. Motel bookings have risen as pandemic restrictions have loosened, and she expects them to continue to rise throughout the city. She said that Las Cruces, New Mexico, roughly 80 miles south, will have little impact due to its direct path to Spaceport America. “People will come to our community if they want to.” The reservoir, which was established for the agricultural industry but has since become a significant tourist attraction in the town of 5,800, has not been rising. Boating, fishing, and camping are examples of recreational activities. The Elephant Butte reservoir, which was built between 1911 and 1916, was formerly 44 miles (70.81 km) long and 11 miles wide. The man-made lake, however, is now believed to be 18-20 miles long and 5 miles wide following years of drought. The high water level for the Elephant Butte Irrigation District was last achieved in 1995, according to Phil King, an engineering consultant for the Elephant Butte Irrigation District. “It is currently in a state of emergency. The reservoirs are all full. There isn’t enough water to fill the lake. It has to come from the snowpack. And climate estimates show that we won’t get nearly as much snow as we did to “Elephant Butte Irrigation District treasurer and manager Gary Esslinger said. Monsoons will bring some water, which the district will store in empty sewers, which will seep into the groundwater and replenish the aquifer, according to Esslinger. However, that may not be enough to keep the boats floating for much longer on the reservoir. This season, water levels have dropped so low that marina owner Neal Brown has forced to relocate his floating docks to deeper waters, an expensive and time-consuming task. According to numerous sources, the reservoir was holding 137,000 acre-feet of water as of Friday, which is around 7% of its capacity. According to a Bureau of Reclamation official, the water level might drop to less than 1% of capacity by the second week of August. Brown is concerned that if water levels continue to drop, recovery will be more difficult for both the people and the ecosystem. “I’d have to close the marina if it drops as low as they’re expecting. I’d be unable to float in it “He went on to say that the state needs to do a better job of regulating the waterflows that originate in Colorado and flow down the Rio Grande into New Mexico. Brown said that a drought plan with a minimum pool level is also required. Meanwhile, the city, which renamed itself after a radio and television quiz show in 1950, can rely on Spaceport to compensate for any declines in water tourism, but King is skeptical. “We’ll see how many people are interested in participating in this launch,” King stated. “However, I’ll tell you that during a Fourth of July or Memorial Day weekend, we can have 100,000 people here, and I don’t expect that to happen for a launch.” Nathan Frandino contributed reporting, while Richard Chang and Diane Craft edited the piece. The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles are our standards./nRead More

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