These rules and regulations shall be construed as consistent with, and subject to, the authorities of the state engineer for the administration of water in the state of New Mexico. These rules and regulations shall not be construed as imposing any limitation on the authority of the state engineer to administer water rights, act on water rights applications, permit water rights, or order the curtailment, in whole or in part, of the use of water under any water right. Subsection H of 72-2-8 NMSA provides that these rules and regulations are presumed to be the correct implementation of the law.
N.M. Admin. Code § 19.25.13.8