Acequia bill to be signed soon!
HB13-1168 Current law recognizes acequia
ditch corporations, but limits that status to irrigation systems that supply
irrigation water to long lots that are perpendicular to the stream or ditch to
maximize the number of landowners who have access to water. The bill repeals
that limitation, so that a ditch corporation may be organized as an acequia
ditch even if the land served by the ditch is not divided into long lots, and
also allows an unincorporated association to operate as an acequia ditch. This bill recognizes all acequias, regardless
of whether they incorporate with the Secretary of State and allows
unincorporated acequias to develop bylaws with court standing.
Full text of the bill is available here: HB13-1168
Full text of the bill is available here: HB13-1168
Exciting New Partnership!
We are pleased to announce that we have begun a partnership with Colorado Open Lands and the University of Colorado Law School's Getches-Wilkinson Center to provide low or no-cost legal assistance and educational materials to our members. Law students will be under the supervision of Professor Sarah Krakoff, Ryan Golten (former NM Legal Aid attorney with expertise in acequias and land rights), Sarah Parmar, and practicing water attorneys Peter Nichols and Karl Kumli. The law students are drafting an Acequia Handbook with legal and governance guidance. They are also working with acequias who wish to adopt bylaws and incorporate (if you are on an acequia and would like assistance, see application below). Finally, a group of students is working with acequias that do not appear on the state's tabulation list to help irrigators document their rights and establish their priority.
Legal/Technical Assistance application
| acequia_assistance_app.doc |
Thank you to our Congreso sponsors!
Costilla Conservancy District
McClure and Eggleston, LLC
Colorado Law Firm
1401 17th St # 660 Denver, CO 80202
(303) 294-0822
Sangre de Cristo Acequia Association ~ P.O. Box 721 San Luis, CO 81152 ~ (719) 695-0060 ~ info@sangreacequias.org
All photo credits go to Devon Peña unless otherwise identified.
