ALBUQUERQUE BERNALILLO COUNTY
WATER UTILITY AUTHORITY
BILL NO. R-26-12
RESOLUTION
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Authorizing the Executive Director to Enter into an Agreement with the Village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque for the Lease of San Juan-Chama Project Surface Water for Irrigation at the Larry P. Abraham Agri-Nature Center
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WHEREAS, Los Ranchos is working toward completion and operation of the Larry P. Abraham Agri-Nature Center (the "Agri-Nature Center") which includes the irrigation of approximately 18 acres for purposes consistent with the goals of the Agri-Nature Center; and
WHEREAS, Los Ranchos has acquired water rights associated with the parcel of Agri-Nature Center irrigatable land and is pending transfer of the deed to the property and approval from the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District (MRGCD) for the delivery of those rights; and
WHEREAS, during the pendency of the final transfer of its water rights for the Agri-Nature Center, Los Ranchos is interested in leasing San Juan-Chama Project ("SJCP") surface water from the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority (Water Authority) for the irrigation of the 18 acres of irrigatable land associated with the Agri-Nature Center; and
WHEREAS, the Water Authority is interested in providing a reliable source of water for irrigation of acreage at the Agri-Nature Center in support of the center's history of successful regenerative agriculture and education, consistent with the policies of the Water Authority's 100-year water management strategy Water 2120; and
WHEREAS, the Water Authority currently has previous annual allocations of SJCP water stored in Abiquiu Reservoir and is willing to make a portion of its stored water available to Los Ranchos for the purpose of irrigation of acreage assigned to the Agri-Nature Center for beneficial consumptive use within the Middle Rio Grande, State of New Mexico under the terms and conditions further described herein, consistent with the app...
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