Rio Arriba County, with the San Juan diversion, has been estimated to provide the majority of water for users downstream in the Rio Grande Compact.
Despite this, Rio Arriba's use of groundwater is rather modest compared to Taos and surrounding Counties, Mora County being the notable exception.
Water purity is essential, since few are poised to supply so much water to metropolitan areas downstream.
With primary land uses being forests and pastures this water lacks industrial and agrichemcial contaminants associated with GMO foods and pollen.