HM 28 — "ACEQUIA DAY"

HOUSEA MEMORIAL 28DECLARING 53RDJANUARY LEGISLATURE25, -2018 STATEAS OF"ACEQUIA NEWDAY" MEXICOIN -THE SECONDNEW SESSION,MEXICO 2018HOUSE INTRODUCEDOF BYREPRESENTATIVES; Debbie A.

Rodella and Carl Trujillo and Patricio Ruiloba and Nick L.

Salazar and Roberto "Bobby" J.

Gonzales 7 9 A MEMORIAL DECLARING JANUARY 25, 2018 AS "ACEQUIA DAY" IN THE NEW MEXICO HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES;

167 WHEREAS, for generations, acequias have supported a way of e t 17 life centered around local agriculture and customs of sharing w l n d 18 water;

and = = 19 a l WHEREAS, acequias are a centuries-old form of water i a e r 20 governance in New Mexico that have created a cultural landscape a t m m 21 with a web of waterways that nurture tens of thousands of acres d r e 22 of farmland;

and c e s k 23 WHEREAS, acequia customs and traditions regarding e a n b 24 agriculture, seed saving, irrigation practices and food u [ preservation are important aspects of the cultural heritage of .209756.1 New Mexico;

and HM 28 WHEREAS, the role of acequias in local governance has Page 1 been affirmed by laws enacted by the state of New Mexico recognizing acequias as political subdivisions and enabling acequias to have important powers in local water management;

and e e 17 WHEREAS, the New Mexico acequia association was e e n d 18 established in 1989 to advocate for water policy beneficial to = = l ] 19 acequias, and the New Mexico acequia commission was created in a l r i 20 statute in 1993 to serve as an advisory body in state t e a t government;

and m m 21 e d r e 22 WHEREAS, hydrological studies by the New Mexico water c e r c 23 resources research institute at New Mexico state university e a n b 24 have documented hydrological benefits of acequias, including u [ aquifer recharge through earthen ditches;

and .209756.1 - 2 - WHEREAS, as water management is complicated by long-term drought and increasing demands for water, acequias will continue to be important in any decisions about water policy at the local and state levels;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE NEW MEXICO that January 25, 2018 be declared as "Acequia Day" in the house of representatives in honor of the contributions of acequias to the history, culture, economy and management of water resources in New HM 28 Page 2 Mexico;

eHM e28 17Page - 3 -25 e e n d 18 = = l ] 19 a l r i 20 t e a t m m 21 e d r e 22 c e r c 23 e a n b 24 u [ .209756.1