Verhines to head University of New Mexico Water Resources Program July 06, 2021 Amid a risk of the Rio Grande going dry through Albuquerque this summer and growing threats to the state’s water supplies, The University of New Mexico has named Scott Verhines to be the next director of the UNM Water Resources Program. A New Mexico native, Verhines brings a lifetime of experience in water management to the job, culminating with service from 2011-2014 as New Mexico State Engineer and Secretary of the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission – the state’s top water management jobs. “Scott has worked on water resources challenges in every part of New Mexico for over three decades,” said UNM Dean of Graduate Studies Julie Coonrod, who oversees the program. “His experience ranges from holding public meetings with different interest groups in rural areas to serving as the State Engineer whose office is charged with administering the state's water resources. Verhines’ focus on community will further enhance the Water Resources Program."