Acequias

Acequias. . , The acequia (ah-say-kya) system, a thriving example of environmentally wise self-government, merges influences from Spain and North Africa. Acequias are long, gently sloping ditches that carry water from rivers and streams to the fields. All users share responsibility for maintenance, and an elected mayordomo (superintendent) enforces the rules. Long, narrow land parcels run alongside the acequias, guaranteeing all farmers equal access to water. Early settlers depended on cooperation and careful management to preserve the delicate ecological balance of this high, arid basin, and today’s farmers still prefer this traditional system over modern irrigation methods. Costilla County’s sixty-six active acequias continue to sustain productive harvests. , Nearly every man, woman, and child in San Luis helped build the People's Ditch. Digging with makeshift wooden shovels and hoes, the pioneers carved the acequia in 1851 to transport water from the Culebra River. Because they lacked surveying equipment, they had to open the headgates as they worked to ensure that the channel flowed downhill. This community resource, the oldest recorded water right in the state, remains a focal point of life in San Luis. Every June 24 the town marks the opening of the canal with prayers and blessings honoring San Juan Bautista (Saint John the Baptist). Early celebrations featured children lining the banks to pluck toys and gifts from the surface of the water. , [photo captions] , . San Luis People’s Ditch No. 1 , . Working the San Luis People’s Ditch