Water resources of the Ruidoso-Carrizozo-Tularosa areas, Lincoln and Otero Counties, New Mexico
— Newcomer, Robert W., Jr. and John W. Shomaker

Supplies of potable water in the Ruidoso-Carrizozo-Tularosa areas come from both surface storage facilities and ground water. Water from Bonito Lake is piped from the east side of Sierra Blanca to the Tularosa Basin, where it is used by the communities of Nogal, Carrizozo, Alamogordo, Holloman Air Force Base and the Southern Pacific Railroad to supplement ground-water supplies. Ground water is recharged primarily from precipitation falling on Sierra Blanca; as little as 7.5% of this precipitation is estimated to reach the aquifers in the mountain areas. Important aquifers are Tertiary volcanic, igneous and sedimentary rocks, and Cretaceous, Triassic and Permian sedimentary rocks. Concentrations of total dissolved solids in ground waters vary greatly and increase along flow paths away from recharge areas. Human-caused contamination has locally impacted the quality of ground water.