ACKNOWLEDGING THE INVOLVEMENT OF ACEQUIAS IN THE WATER HISTORY OF NEW MEXICO AND REQUESTING WATER-FOCUSED AGENCIES AND THE LEGISLATURE TO APPOINT ACEQUIA REPRESENTATIVES TO STUDY GROUPS AND TASK GROUPS CONSIDERING WATER ISSUES.

WHEREAS, water and its use, ownership, development and protection are of vital interest to all New Mexicans; and

WHEREAS, acequias have naturally attended to issues of water and its protection throughout the state and its history; and

WHEREAS, acequias have contributed to New Mexico's agrarian and rural qualities of society and culture through their shared and established use of water facilities for agricultural purposes; and

WHEREAS, the enduring activities of acequias in the development, use and communal operation and administration of water facilities to access entitled water rights should be recognized and valued; and

WHEREAS, the lasting and established interests of acequias in New Mexico should be included and considered in discussions, studies and planning activities for water use and ownership in the future;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that water-focused executive agencies and the legislature be requested to appoint or include members of acequias to any task group or study group established to address water issues; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the governor, the state engineer, the interstate stream commission, the energy, minerals and natural resources department, the department of environment, the department of game and fish, the commissioner of public lands and the New Mexico legislative council.