By Quita Ortiz "It was a choice I made when I was old enough to make the choice," mused Virgil Trujillo as we drove up to the Abiquiu Land Grant. He was referring to his reason for working the land. Virgil Trujillo is a bona fide northern New Mexico rancher. I attribute his calm presence [...]
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Infrastructure Planning for Acequias
By Janice Varela Earlier this year, the New Mexico Acequia Association held a workshop on Acequia Infrastructure Planning, Acequia Repairs and Legislative Capital Outlay funding. David F. Garcia of NMAA kicked off the workshop with his song, "Cancion de las Acequias", which set the tone for an upbeat meeting. Over 40 commissioners, mayordomos and parciantes [...]
Read More »Guidelines for Effective Acequia Meetings
By Paula Garcia In addition to the spring cleaning, it is also the time of year when many acequias hold their annual meetings. Acequias for generations likely held meetings to discuss the practical day-to-day operation of the acequia, the customs for sharing water, and various other issues of common concern. The requirement of [...]
Read More »Drought Affects Acequias
New Mexico remains drought-plagued after a very dry 2010-2011 winter that was influenced heavily by a moderate to strong La Niña event. The monsoon that followed was spottier than normal, alleviating drought in only a few regions, and widespread precipitation deficits remain entrenched. Since October 1st, rain and snow generally have been below average. According [...]
Read More »Acequia Customs and Water Management
By Janice Varela The New Mexico Acequia Association's monthly workshop topic in March was Acequia Customs and Water Management. Over 35 comicionados, mayordomos and parciantes from throughout the state attended this workshop at the Lodge Hotel in Santa Fe. New Mexico Legal Aid attorney and acequia advocate, David Benavides, facilitated some great conversations [...]
Read More »Sacando la Acequia: A Community Tradition
By Paula Garcia For generation upon generation, the acequia tradition of sacando la acequia has endured in New Mexico and Southern Colorado. We often call water the lifeblood of the community; it is also true that the people are the lifeblood of the acequia. The annual spring cleaning reminds us of the hard work [...]
Read More »Springtime and the Importance of Acequia Easements
By Paula Garcia, NMAA Executive Director The acequia easement is generally known as the "bordo" of the acequia which is the land on either side of the acequia that is a passageway up and down the length of the acequia. This bordo serves a very important role as it provides access to the acequia for [...]
Read More »Repartimiento: Water Sharing in Times of Drought
By Paula Garcia, Executive Director New Mexico's arid environment has fostered a worldview of reverence for water for millennia among the indigenous people of the area who have practiced sophisticated water harvesting and floor irrigation methods. When acequias were established with the settlement of mexicano and mestizo pobladores, the landscape was further transformed with the [...]
Read More »Garden Planning 2012
By Juliet Garcia-Gonzales, Sembrando Semillas Project The days are getting longer, and the weather warming up; a true sign that spring is upon us. We are participants of the NMAA Sembrando Semillas Project, and as we learn through conferences, workshops and networking each year, we are always excited about planting our seeds. At an altitude [...]
Read More »Acequia Youth to Participate in NMAA’s Escuelita de las Acequias
By Juliet Garcia-Gonzales, Sembrando Semillas Project. In a couple of weeks, the Sembrando Semillas youth and youth from other communities will be attending the NMAA first annual La Escuelita de las Acequias. The Escuelita is a 3 part series that will be held between the months of February and September 2012. The formation of La [...]
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