Water Rights Registration

Although water rights are traditionally attached to property the laws governing acequia water rights allow for the rights to be transferred. In addition your right to use acequia water is dependent on your good standing within the acequia community. That means you need to know the amount of water rights that go with your property and that those rights are correctly registered in your name. Water rights have been passed on in the acequias systems from territorial times. The water rights granted to the acequia are the sum of the rights owned by all the parciantes within the acequia.

So it is important both to you and the Acequia that you know the amount of your water rights and your standing regarding those rights. Registration errors may be the result of recording errors from past property transfers or clerical errors on the part of governing agency.  Proper registration ensures that the water rights associated with your property belong to you and that they can be properly transferred in the future.


Why register your water rights?

Your water rights are a valuable asset. They normally attach to your property and increase the value of your land. To preserve your water rights they must be properly registered in your name. Water right ownership needs to be registered and recognized by the State Engineer's Office, the local irrigation district and the Acequia de La Puebla.

Due to property sales and transfers your water rights may still be registered to a former property owner and not to you. We urge all parciantes to check and be sure their water rights are properly registered.

 

How to Register

The Acequia de La Puebla Commission has prepared the chart below to help you register your water rights in your name. Proper registration will verify that amount of your water rights and ensure that your dues are correctly assessed.

Your water rights may not be properly registered due to a change of property ownership or a bureaucratic error. Regardless of the reason you owe it to yourself to follow the steps in the chart and make sure you water rights are properly registered.

 

CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP OF WATER RIGHTS CHART

• Santa Cruz Irrigation District
• SCID
• 753-2195
Check with the SCID regarding what they have on file for the property in question. Information such as the amount of the water right, the map and tract number of the property, and past due balances, if any, will be important to know.
• Office of the State Engineer
• OSE
• 827-6120
The SCID will direct you to the Office of the State Engineer where you will be given the necessary form for Change of Ownership along with instructions on filling out the form. You will need documentation to verify your information such as current deed, possibly past owner deeds and possibly a Plat Survey. If you do not have this information you will need to do some research at the Santa Fe County Clerk’s office.
• Santa Fe County Clerk’s Office
• SFCCO
• 986-6280
When OSE has confirmed your water rights you will then need to take your form and register it at the SFCCO.
• Santa Cruz Irrigation District
• 753-2195
You now need to register your water right amount ownership form with SCID. This office will direct you to register your rights with Acequias De La Puebla.
• Acequias De La Puebla
• Acequia de La Puebla Chairman
Register your rights with Acequia de La Puebla, documentation is required.
• Acequias De La Puebla
• Mayordomo
• 692-9242
When documentation is complete, you must contact the Mayordomo anytime you will be using the water, even if it is a small amount or for a short period of time, regardless of where on the ditch you are located.