The Office of the State Engineer is Seeking to Dramatically Decrease Irrigation Water Rights of the Mora Valley in New Mexico. A fundraiser for legal fees to protect our acequias and our irrigation water rights.

Las Acequias de Cañoncito y Encinal have been under attack by the Office of the State Engineer (OSE) since 2023. In December of 2023, the OSE attacked our Acequias with a Compliance Order demanding that we close our headgate and remove our infrastructure, or face fines of $100 per day. Rather than lose our irrigation rights, we chose to fight and be heard at Hearing.

In the process of defending our ditches, we have learned that the OSE is seeking to significantly decrease ALL irrigation water rights for the ENTIRE Mora Valley.

Here is what we’ve learned – Irrigation water rights are determined by a value called “Consumptive Irrigation Requirement”, known as “CIR”. This CIR represents the amount of irrigation water we need to grow crops. The CIR is displayed as “acre feet per annum”, or “afa”. For example, a CIR of 2.0 means you get 2 feet per acre per year of irrigation water for your crops. The higher the CIR, the more irrigation water you are permitted to use.

In 2023, without anyone knowing, and without informing acequias, farmers or ranchers, the OSE calculated a brand-new CIR for the Mora Valley. We have learned that this “new” number is exceedingly low. This “new” CIR is even lower than it was in the 1960’s, nearly 60 years ago! This “new” CIR is also significantly lower than the average CIR from Water Use Reports prepared by the OSE between 1990 to 2025.

Our expert hydrologist has calculated that our fields in Mora need a CIR of 1.39 afa. The OSE, on the other hand, has determined through pseudo-science and skewed crop data that the Mora Valley needs a mere .88 afa. This new CIR is a third, or 34%, less than what we need! Based on the data they have provided, this isn’t even enough to grow alfalfa in the Mora Valley!

Our Acequias have been in deep in litigation to disprove this “pseudo-science” of the OSE since 2023.

This impacts all farmers and ranchers from Chacón to Golondrinas. Everyone across the entire Mora Valley drainage! Help us preserve our acequias, our land, and our culture. Traditions that have sustained our community since the 1800s.

Las Acequias de Cañoncito y Encinal have carried water to our fields, gardens, livestock, and families since before the founding of the Mora Valley. The construction of our Acequias began with permission from the Picuris Pueblo in 1816, decades prior to the Mora Land Grant of 1835.

We have now learned how they are decreasing our irrigation water rights with pseudo-science and skewed crop data. We now know how this weapon of water reduction can be used against all irrigation rights in the Mora Valley drainage.

We need your help today to stand up to the OSE. If no one challenges them, your irrigation rights will be slashed. We must respond in court to protect the water our community depends on. We know this case will lead to more state control over our traditional water systems.

Your donation will go directly to pay for attorney fees, experts, court costs, filings, research, records, and other legal expenses. Every gift helps us stand together and protect this vital waterway for today and for future generations. Don’t let the OSE take your water away! Our Acequias are the oldest in Mora. If our Acequias fall, taking the rest will be easy for the OSE.

Please attend one of our town hall gatherings to learn more. These meetings will be announced via Go Fund Me.

We have survived the epic Calf Canyon Hermits Peak fire of 2022 and the catastrophic floods that followed. Now this. The OSE has no mercy on this community.

This is a fight of David versus Goliath. The State has unlimited tax dollars to spend on their lawyers.

If you are tired of the State taking away your rights, please donate.

If you have been bullied and harassed by the OSE or the State, please donate.

¡Poder al pueblo!

If you care about our land and culture, please donate.

Don’t let the government take your irrigation rights behind your back, please donate.

If you are tired of the government misuse of your tax dollars, please donate.

¡Ayúdale a tú comunidad a preservar nuestras aguas!

If you irrigate in the Mora Valley, please donate. This impacts you!

If you own land in the Mora Valley, please donate.

We must send a message that we stand together! Even the smallest donation helps.

¡La agua es la vida, sin agua no tenemos nada!

Why This Matters

• Water rights: All acequias depend on protected access to water.

• Community defense: Legal costs are too high for few families to carry alone.

• Mora Valley: This case will affect all acequias and irrigation right holders in the valley.

• Heritage: Acequias are part of New Mexico’s history and culture.

• Future generations: We are fighting to keep this waterway alive for all generations to come.

How Donations Will Be Used

• Attorney and legal fees

• Expert fees

• Court filings and legal expenses

• Research, records, maps, and documents

• Updates for parciantes and community members

Donation Appeal

Please donate what you can to help Las Acequias de Cañoncito y Encinal, defend our irrigation water rights and protect Mora Valley acequias. If you cannot donate, please share this fundraiser with family, friends, neighbors, and supporters.

This is Short Share Message

Please help Las Acequias de Cañoncito y Encinal raise legal funds to defend irrigation water rights of the entire Mora Valley drainage located in the Sangre de Cristo mountain range of Northern New Mexico. The Office of the State Engineer is trying to slash irrigation water available to acequias, ranchers and farmers. This fight will affect all Mora Valley acequias. Every donation and share helps protect our water, land, community and way of life.