Carlsbad, N.M., was founded in the 1890s as such colorful characters as Charles B. Eddy and Sheriff Pat Garrett (of Billy the Kid fame) diverted water from the Pecos River to massive cattle ranches. Today, a spike in population built on an oil and gas boom has challenged the municipal distribution system and again made water supply a critical issue for the city’s development.In 2010, Carlsbad’s population stood at about 26,500. Midway through 2013, the population has skyrocketed to almost 35,000, largely the result of increased oil and gas exploration and extraction in the state’s estimated 2,000 oil and gas
