By JUAN-CARLOS RODRIGUEZ Journal Staff Writer Overall, 2007 turned out to be a good irrigation season in the middle Rio Grande Valley. Farmers were spared water shortages because of a wet winter and spring.

By Staci Matlock, The Santa Fe New Mexican Aug. 13--Two decades later, he's managing the Rio Grande Project, the U.S. Bureau of Reclama?tion's series of dams, diversions and canals that control the river's flow from Elephant Butte Reservoir to the El Paso Valley in Texas.

By THE NEW MEXICAN With reservoirs at their best levels in years, New Mexico State Parks managers are gearing up for major boating and fishing for the Memorial Day weekend.

By WES SMALLING, NEW MEXICAN FILE PHOTOS Thanks to unusually warm weather, rafting season is off to an early start Last year there wasn't enough water to get a boat down some stretches of the Rio Grande. This year, spring runoff got under way before most rafting companies were open for business.

By THE NEW MEXICAN New Mexico officials are "cautiously optimistic" reservoir water levels will remain good for recreation at least through July 4. But if spring and summer rains don't add to snowmelt runoff, reservoir levels will start dropping.