CULTURAL RELEVANCY OF ACEQUIA SYSTEMS IN NEW MEXICO
OBJECTIVE: You will be able to identify relevancies of past and current,
community, acequia systems.
Acequia system is another term for irrigation system. Understanding cultural
relevancies, of past and community asequia systems, involves understanding the
following:
a. In the past, most, if not all, Native American tribes believed that all members of
their tribe had a right to share the water, because there was no private property;
b. When New Mexico was ruled by Spain, "Spanish law established the general
principles under which irrigation was regulated in New Mexico. Government
documents from Spain stated that all waters in the New World should be
common to all inhabitants; that viceroys and other officials should supervise
irrigable lands and protect them from livestock; that water should be distributed to
colonists on the advice of municipal councils; and that local provisions regarding
water distribution should promote the public welfare."
c. “During the Mexican period of government, a series of water laws, based on
existing practices, added specific penalties for various violations. For example, a
person taking a bath in or otherwise polluting a public spring or well reserved for
household uses would pay a fine.”
d. “When New Mexico became a territory, it continued to pass laws governing
acequias. In 1851, the legislature protected acequias by prohibiting the
disturbance of their sources. In 1866, the government ordered that deteriorating
ditches be re-established. Acequias were recognized as community
organizations in 1895, when the territorial legislature declared them public
involuntary quasi- corporations with the power to sue or be sued.”
e. “Today, state statutes describe and govern many aspects of the nature,
management and operation of community ditches and acequias, much as they
did in the earlier years. Those statutes are found primarily in Article 2, Chapter
73, of the New Mexico statutes.”
http://online.nmartmuseum.org/nmhistory/people-places-andpolitics/water/history-water.html
ARTICLES TO READ:
HISTORY: POLITICS OF WATER IN NEW MEXICO Average Annual
Precipitation for New Mexico
NEW MEXICO WATER SCIENCE CENTER
1. How do acequias illustrate the cultural heritage and importance to individuals of
New Mexico?