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PRESS RELEASE: Acequias Gather in Response to Climate Change and Pandemic, Senator-Elect Ben Ray Lujan to Speak

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, December 7, 2020

MEDIA CONTACT

Paula Garcia, Executive Director, lamorena@lasacequias.org, 505-231-7752

Emily Arasim, Communications Coordinator, emily@lasacequias.org

Acequias Gather in Response to Climate Change and Pandemic, Senator-Elect Ben Ray Lujan to Speak

(Santa Fe, NM) – The first ever virtual Congreso de las Acequias, the annual membership meeting of the New Mexico Acequia Association (NMAA), will convene on Saturday, December 12, 2020 via Zoom.

Harold Trujillo, NMAA President said, “This year, the Congreso will capture an important moment in history with strategies for building stronger communities that will emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic and that will adapt with lessons learned from ongoing drought.”

“The year 2020 has hit us hard in rural New Mexico with both drought and pandemic,” said Paula Garcia, Executive Director, “Our resolve to continue building food sovereign communities while adapting to climate change has grown during this time of adversity.”

The theme for the gathering will be “Unidos con Fuerza: Acequias Rising to meet the Challenges of our Time.” The gathering will honor the hard work of acequias to maintain the “essential work” of keeping water flowing to farms and communities throughout the pandemic. The agenda also addresses some of the most pressing issues facing acequias, such as climate change resilience, deepening youth engagement, and strengthening the ability of acequia-based farmers and ranchers to grow more food for their families and communities.

Some of the highlights include remarks from Senator-elect Ben Ray Lujan, who will discuss recent policy gains at the federal level with the Farm Bill and passage of legislation recognizing acequia and land grant traditional uses on lands managed by the US Forest Service. NMAA leaders will give a ‘State of the Acequias’ report which will highlight the ways that acequias responded to the drought and pandemic in 2020. A declaration on Water, Food, and Youth will summarize some broad strategies for building stronger communities through local, grassroots actions.

As is customary, the Congreso de las Acequias will feature music and poetry along with the  Bendición de las Aguas, or blessing of the waters. As means of adapting the regular in-person blessing, participants are invited to send pictures of themselves with their acequia or river to be shared during the gathering.

The Congreso will take place on Saturday, September 12th from 10am to 2pm with a lunch recess. Registration is free of charge and open at https://lasacequias.org/congreso/. For more information, call 505-995-9655.

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The New Mexico Acequia Association – www.lasacequias.org

The mission of the New Mexico Acequia Association is to protect water and our acequias, grow healthy food for our families and communities, and to honor our cultural heritage.

Covid-19: An Update from NMAA

Dear Acequia Leaders,

On behalf of the New Mexico Acequia Association, we are sending well wishes and hoping that you and your loved ones are healthy and safe. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our normal routines but it has not changed the fundamental need in our communities to keep the waters flowing in our acequias. In that regard, we have received many inquiries about how to serve responsibly as acequia elected officials to protect your communities from the spread of the virus. Here are some recommendations based on the public health order from the Department of Health Secretary Kathyleen Kunkel. The following language is part of the order:

Mass Gatherings. Pursuant to the order issued on March 23, 2020, “mass gatherings” are prohibited. The order defines a “mass gathering” as any public or private gathering that brings together five (5) or more individuals in a single room or connected space, confined outdoor space or an open outdoor space where individuals are within six (6) feet of each other but does not include the presence of five or more individuals where those individuals regularly reside.

Essential Businesses. The public health order also requires that all businesses, except those defined as “essential businesses,” reduce their in-person workforce by 100%. Essential businesses may remain in operation provided that they maintain social distancing, wash hands often, and keep surfaces clean. Our team has interpreted that acequias can be considered essential businesses because they provide water for agriculture and because they are also infrastructure operations. The order defines essential businesses to include the following: 1) Farms, ranches, and other food cultivation, processing, or packaging operations and 2) Infrastructure operations including public works construction and water.

In order for acequias to continue to operate, we have interpreted the order to mean that acequias and community ditches are considered essential businesses. We are also recommending that acequias avoid mass gatherings and maintain social distancing. We are providing the following guidance:

Acequia Cleanings. We have spoken with several mayordomos about how to conduct Spring acequia cleanings, i.e. sacando las acequias, and we have developed the following options for you to consider so that you are in compliance with the public health order:

  1. You may consider canceling or postponing the acequia cleaning if that is possible. Some acequias have opted to do this in cases where cleaning is not essential to get water flowing through the ditch.
  2. You may consider taking these precautions if you decide to proceed with your annual acequia cleaning:
    1. Work in crews of five (5) peones or fewer. Break up your work crew into smaller groups and space them out along the acequia so that at no time do you have a group larger than five (5) people.
    2. Within your small work crews, maintain a distance of at least 6 feet or maintain a distance of more than 6 feet and completely avoid person-to-person contact.
    3. Require that each parciante be responsible for the section of ditch that runs through their own property. This is a traditional practice used in several acequias where each family is responsible for their own “en frentes.”
    4. Some acequias are restricting the individuals that may be part of a cleaning crew to exclude anyone who traveled outside the state who should be in isolation or individuals over a certain age.

Acequia Meetings. We recommend that any regular annual membership meetings be postponed until a later date. Any gathering of more than five (5) people would be in violation of the public health order. However, if your acequia has an urgent matter to address, such as basic water delivery or emergency flooding, a meeting of your three-member commission and mayordomo can take place while also adhering to the Open Meetings Act. Other governmental entities are using conference calls for this purpose.

Acequia Elected Officials. Provided that elected officials avoid mass gatherings and maintain social distancing, they may continue their duties. Commissioners generally work from home so their continued work in governing and managing acequia operations may continue. Mayordomos are needed to operate acequia infrastructure so they may also continue work.

We know that the safety and health of each family and community is your primary concern. Our guidance is based on an interpretation of the public health order from March 23, 2020, also known as the “stay at home” order. We urge everyone to be safe, to comply with the public health order, and to be responsible when acting within the exceptions carved out for essential businesses (including how we interpret that order to apply to acequias).

Thank you for all your hard work in keeping our beautiful acequias flowing!

 

With heartfelt gratitude and concern for your well-being,

The NMAA Team

Acequia.Guidance.Lettter.Covid19

SignedPHO03-24-2019

Interstate Stream Commission Members Resign

Three members of the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission (ISC) abruptly resigned in October. The ISC is a Governor-appointed body that oversees the agency charged with protecting, conserving, and developing the state’s waters along with ensuring compliance with interstate water compacts. One of the members who resigned, Jim Dunlap, expressed concern that the State Engineer was not regarding the ISC as a separate and district agency from the Office of the State Engineer (OSE). The two agencies are intertwined water management agencies and have roles that are sometimes conflicting. The OSE approves permits for drilling, appropriations, and water transfers which sometimes puts that agency in conflict with the role of the ISC to protect waters of the state. Dunlap cited concerns over the recent turnover in the staff at the Interstate Stream Commission and related concerns over the need to distinguish between the roles of the ISC and OSE.

Udall, Heinrich Introduce Legislation to Help Acequias and Land Grants Better Access Federal Conservation Programs

Gilbert Borrego stands proudly in front of the new dam for Acequia Alto del Norte in Mora, NM -Photo taken by Paula Garcia

U.S. Senator Tom Udall introduced a bill to help acequias and land grants in New Mexico access additional federal resources for water and resource conservation projects. The bill, Providing Land Grants and Acequias Conservation and Environmental Services (PLACES) Act of 2017, cosponsored by U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich, will allow acequias and land grants access to federal programs that provide funding and technical assistance to farmers to increase agricultural water efficiency and further conservation of soil, water and other natural resources.

Santolina and the ABCWUA

On September 15, 2017, the State Auditor sent a letter to the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority (ABCWUA) questioning its handling of the giant Santolina development.   The project would house upwards of 90,000 people and would require nearly 20 million gallons of water per day, at least 20 schools, and two I-40 interchanges.   The total number of acre feet per year required for the development is 14,000 acre feet of water.  Despite constant and frequent calls from concerned water advocates, the Bernalillo County Commission has allowed the proposal to continue through the permitting process without a concrete plan on where the water for the development will come from.  While not directly addressing the lack of a water plan, the State Auditor is concerned about potential violations of the anti-donation clause of the New Mexico Constitution and the Water and Wastewater Expansion Ordinance in the ABCWUA’s handling of Santolina’s proposal.  The ABCWUA is required to address the State Auditor’s concerns in its next audit.

Rio Gallinas Acequias – City of Las Vegas

Gabriel Estrada presenting at the 18th Annual Congreso on behalf of the acequias on the Rio Gallinas -Photo taken by Seth Roffman

The Special Master presiding over the Rio Gallinas adjudication has issued a sixty-eight page draft report recommending an equitable remedy following the abolishment of the pueblo rights doctrine, a doctrine of law that the City of Las Vegas asserted for many decades as the basis for its claim that it is senior to all other appropriators, even the acequias whose priority dates are between 1848 and 1872.  In his report, the Special Master recommends that 1200 acre feet per year (AFY) of the City’s 2600 AFY (previously owned by PNM with a priority date of 1881) be adjudicated a priority date of 1835, the year the land grant was made.  The City’s 1835 water rights (1200 AFY) leapfrog over all of the acequia rights and have first priority in the whole system.  The acequias have 2nd priority and are senior to the City’s 1881 water rights, and other water right owners including the Gallinas Canal Company and the Storrie Project.  To “compensate” the acequias for leapfrogging the City’s 1200 AFY to 1st priority, the Special Master would have the City pay $1.7 million.  The payment would be made to individual parciantes, not to the acequias.  This comes out to about $2,000 per acre.  A final report will be filed with the district court and is subject to objections by the parties.

Town of Taos Acequia Ordinance

Presa for North and South Acequias del Rio Don Fernando de Taos -Photo taken by Olivia Romo, NMAA Staff

With the help of the NMAA, TVAA, and local acequias, the Town of Taos continues to fine-tune its ordinance passed in August that protects acequias from potentially damaging encroachment on any part of the acequia network.  The current ordinance, known as the Hahn Amendment (after Councilman Fritz Hahn, an acequia advocate who proposed the amendment) enhanced the local land use development code to require acequia approval for any development on land that contains any part of the acequia network and easement, including the acequia madre, laterals, point of diversion, and desagues.  The current version is found at 16.20.060.02 of the Town Code.  Changes NMAA has advocated for include a clearer process for what happens in the event that an acequia does not respond to a developer’s request for approval; a default setback requirement that mirrors the easement in an affected acequia’s bylaws, and in the case that an acequia does not define an easement in their bylaws, the broad statutory easement granted to acequias; and removal of language concerning abandonment.

2017 Youth Acequia Art Contest

Sembrando Semillas Atrisco Site -Photo taken by Travis Mckenzi  
 

Youth Acequia Art Contest
For ages 4 – 18 years
 
“What does acequia culture mean to you?
“Why are acequias important to your family, culture, or community?”
 
Get Creative! Submit photos, poems, videos, paintings, sketches, mixed media, models, and MORE!
 
You could win the following prizes:
 
1st Place: $75.00 & NMAA T-Shirt | 2nd Place: $50.00 & NMAA T-Shirt | 3rd Place: $25.00 & NMAA T-shirt
*Winners will be recognized at the 2017 Congreso de las Acequias!
 
Acequias & Irrigation
This category will give artists an opportunity to depict the beauty, ingenuity and operation of acequia and irrigation techniques in your family or community. Use this category to display the beautiful water flowing through a headgate or field.
Cultural Traditions
This category can allow artists to highlight the planting of seeds, the harvest, spiritual or community gatherings around food and agriculture. Seasonal activities that celebrate food, water, and land.
Food Preservation
Get inspired by your taste buds and food staples. Use art to highlight special crops, food and preservation techniques used in your community! Matanzas, canning, making chicos, ristras or grinding atole! The options are endless!
Animals, Gardens, & Family
Honor your garden, livestock, and family working hard in their field. Use this category to depict beautiful landscapes or people working the land.
 
Art must be submitted by October 13, 2017
Submissions must be sent either by mail or electronically, in high resolution jpeg format. Please mail to NM Acequia Association 805 Early Street Bldg. B, Suite 203 Santa Fe, NM 87505 or email to olivia@lasacequias.org along with the following information:
 
Name of Artist
Town
Acequia Name
County
Category
Art description or title
 
*Participants are limited to one entry per category.
 
Terms and conditions: Upon photo submission, you agree to the use of your photo(s) in NMAA materials including but not limited to publications, calendar, website pages, and outreach materials. Photo credit will be given where appropriate.

2017 Acequia Photo Contest

Ethan Vigil enjoying apples grown from Vigil Orchards- Photo taken by Marty Vigil, Acequia San Jose de la Cienega  

 

Acequia Photo Contest
Enter your photograph and you could win cash prizes!
1st Place $150.00 | 2nd Place $100.00 | 3rd Place $50.00
Your photo could be featured in NMAA Publications
Winners will be recognized at the 2017 Congreso de las Acequias
 
Photo Categories:
 
Acequias or Landscape
Photos in this category include photos of your limpia, unique infrastructure, first opening of the acequia in spring, picturesque winter photos, etc. the acequia landscape that show off your farm or ranch, including but not limited to scenic photos of your crops and/or animals, or photos of family working in the field.
 
This category also includes, the acequia landscape that show off your farm or ranch, including but not limited to scenic photos of your crops and/or animals, or photos of family working in the field.
 
 
Digitally Altered Imagery      
This is an opportunity to showcase your artistic ability in manipulating imagery through apps and programs like photoshop. This category allows you to create creative shots, colors, and style of your favorite photos or drawings related to your acequias, culture, and the other categories.
 
 
 
 
Regando
Photos in this category include photos of parciantes irrigating fields, and other photos related to irrigating.
 
Food and Seed Traditions
Photos in this category should cover acequia food traditions. Examples include making chicos, food preservation, harvesting, close-up photos of your produce, seed saving, and traditional family activities, etc.
 
PHOTOS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY  
OCTOBER 13th, 2017
 
Submissions must be sent electronically, in high resolution jpeg format. Please email photos to olivia@lasacequias.org along with the following information:

  • Name of photographer
  • Acequia Name
  • Region (if applicable)
  • Town
  • County
  • Photo Description
 
Participants are limited to one photo per category.
Terms and conditions: Upon photo submission, you agree to the use of your photo(s) in NMAA materials including but not limited to publications, calendar, website pages, and outreach materials. Photo credit will be given where appropriate.

 

2017 Acequia Needs Assessment Survey

Crisp and Golden Fall in the Santa Barbara Watershed -Photo taken by Daniel Sonis

 
Dear Acequia Leader,
 
Thank you so much for your contributions to your local acequia. The New Mexico Acequia Association is conducting a statewide acequia needs assessment and we need your participation.
 
The New Mexico Acequia Association is a non-profit statewide organization of Acequias and Regional Association of Acequias. Our mission is to protect historic acequia water rights and strengthen agricultural traditions.   

We are requesting your voluntary participation in filling out that attached Acequia Survey. Acequias are defined as local governments and the information requested is considered public information which would be shared with the state of New Mexico. Your participation supports acequias across the state.
 
Please note that every year we change and update many of the questions.
 
Please respond by December 11th at the latest.
 
Methods of response:
Call the NMAA office: You can dictate your responses to staff and be done!
Paper survey: Complete the enclosed survey and mail, fax or scan it back to us.
 
If you have any questions or if there is any way we can assist your acequia please feel free to contact Toribo at 505-995-9644 or Toribio@lasacequias.org