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Water is the lifeblood of human existence. New Mexico''s history provides a fascinating microcosm of the role water plays in the growth and development of a community. This book details many of the complex and messy fights, legal and otherwise, over precious water in a semiarid western state. Focusing on the past one hundred years constituting New Mexico''s statehood, contributors describe the often convoluted and always intriguing stories that have shaped New Mexico''s water past and that will, without doubt, influence its future history. Many of New Mexico''s "movers and shakers" in the water community have contributed their water war stories to the book. From acclaimed water lawyers to historians to novelists to academicians, their stories reflect the broad legal, historic, traditional, religious, and community values of New Mexico''s water culture. The celebration of New Mexico''s centennial is made more complete with the telling of these exciting and colorful narratives of how water has and will shape our future. CATHERINE T. ORTEGA KLETT, a native New Mexican, has worked at the New Mexico Water Resources Research Institute for 25 years, overseeing the information transfer program including the publication of technical reports, conference proceedings, newsletters, and miscellaneous reports. During this time she has also coordinated the presentation of many conferences and symposia. She has a bachelor''s degree in sociology from the State University of New York at Albany and a master''s degree in public administration from New Mexico State University.

Fort Selden was a small frontier fort built in 1865 with the mission of protecting the citizens of the Mesilla Valley in southern New Mexico. This book tells the story of Fort Selden''s beginning, its years of service, and its eventual abandonment. Throughout Fort Selden''s history, its troopers conducted patrols, provided escort for wagon trains, and chased horse thieves, bandits, and Apaches through spring dust storms, drenching rains, winter cold, and other hardships to accomplish their mission. The story of the fort is told through the military reports and messages of the commanders and personal letters of the soldiers. Allan J. Holmes, a native New Mexican, is a retired infantryman who served 29 years in the United States Army in places such as Korea, Vietnam, Liberia (West Africa), Germany, Panama, and across the United States. It was this experience that piqued his interest in military history. After retiring from the service he taught United States Military History for thirteen years at Gadsden High School in southern New Mexico.

"Santa Rita del Cobre" is the story of the formative years (1801-1838) of a remarkable mine in southwestern New Mexico that has produced copper for more than 200 years. Records of the Spanish Colonial and early Mexican period have yielded intriguing accounts of the people involved in the early development of the mines, the difficulties they encountered along the way, and the importance of this small settlement to the history of the frontier. Although the Santa Rita mines produced a fortune to the few men willing or able to invest money in their development, it was always a difficult and hazardous undertaking. Apaches, who inhabited much of southern New Mexico and Arizona at that time, created many problems for the miners. They had a strong influence over the success or failure of the Santa Rita mining operation. At times the hostility and depredations of these Indians overshadowed the remarkable success of the mines. Santa Rita was the center for military operations against the Apaches, and was referred to as the watchtower and guardian of the western frontier. Helen lundwall is a retired librarian. She edited and annotated "Pioneering in Territorial New Mexico: The Memoirs of H. B. Ailman," and is the author of several articles on local history. TERRENCE HUMBLE was born and raised in Santa Rita, New Mexico. He worked at the Santa Rita mine for 32 years, and is an authority on the history of the mine. His articles have been published in the "Mining History Association Journal" and the "Quarterly of the National Association for Outlaw and Lawman History."